The Birth of a Swordheart
by thelazyreader
Summary: This story chronicles Kenshin's childhood with Hiko leading upto his departure. Rated T for an ecchi situation later on.
1. Our New Home

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**Chapter I: Our New Home**

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Disclaimer: I don't own the Rurouni Kenshin anime/manga/movie/game/whatever.

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Hiko Seijuro XIII stared at the abandoned house with a neutral look on his face.

He and his newfound pupil had spent the past few weeks travelling across the countryside. After placing an order for a training sword with a swordsmith in the town near which he had met the boy, Hiko had resumed his wandering with his pupil in tow, teaching Kenshin basic skills like cooking, cleaning and haggling for goods along the way. At the same time he continued wielding his sword to protect the downtrodden, cutting down bandits, oppressive landlords and corrupt government officials alike.

But all that killing was having a negative effect on his pupil's mind, and the constant travelling and camping in the wilderness was taking its toll on his frail body. He wasn't ready for this kind of lifestyle.

Eventually Hiko came to the realisation that if he hoped to teach Kenshin the Hiten Mitsurugi and mould him into a master swordsman he would have to give up his wandering ways and find somewhere to settle down; an isolated place where he could train the boy in peace.

At the little village where they had stopped a few hours ago, he thought he had found such a place. The locals muttered terrified rumours of a haunted house just across the mountain that overlooked the village.

Apparently, a lonely old man had lived there. He kept mostly to himself, coming to the village only to sell things he gathered from the mountains and the forest on the other side: animal skins, herbs, honey and the like.

He had died not long ago, and since then some of the villagers who climbed the mountain to gather wood or hunt animals had claimed to have heard strange voices and seen apparitions resembling the old man, coming from the direction of his hut.

To Hiko, the location sounded perfect. A house in the middle of nowhere where they wouldn't be affected by the troubles of the outside world, yet there was a village not far away where they could get supplies.

"Come on, boy. Let's take a closer look." he said, turning to look at the child who was shivering behind him, grasping his hakama tightly in his little hand.

"B-but what about th-the ghost?"_Of course. He still believes in ghosts._

"Don't be an idiot." Hiko snapped. "There is no such thing as ghosts."

"B-but the villagers-"

"The villagers were either drunk or hallucinating." Hiko was getting annoyed. How could he teach the boy to fight real enemies if he flinched from imaginary ones? "You know how it is with rumours and superstitions. It's likely that they just mistook the howling of the wind for screaming and daydreamed about seeing an old man."

He briskly walked towards the cottage. The boy could follow if he liked.

Well, _cottage _would be a generous way of putting it. It was just a ramshackle, one-room hut. The thatched roof had a few holes in it, and it needed some repairs if they were going to survive the winter, but apart from that it didn't look like it was going to collapse anytime soon.

Inside, they were surprised to find all the things they needed to live there. Tools, pots and pans, clothing and futons. There was even a sizeable jar of sake, sealed with wax. Hiko broke the seal, uncorked it and took a sip. _The old man had good taste._ It looked like the villagers had left everything intact out of respect for the former owner. _Or out of fear of his spirit._

"Shishou," Hiko looked down to see the wide-eyed, innocent look in Kenshin's eyes. "Are we going to stay here?"

Hiko suppressed a smile. "Yes. From now on, at least until your training is over, this shall be our home."

From today, he was no longer a rurouni. Although this meant he would no longer be healing the sufferings of the world around him, he didn't particularly mind. In fact a part of him felt glad.

For seven years since he completed his training, Hiko had wandered the country as a free sword, righting wrongs with his blade and hoping to change the world for the better. But the sufferings of the outside world were perpetual,and things only grew worse with time. The Tokugawa Shogunate grew ever weaker with the arrival of the Black Ships. The samurai became greedy and arrogant and used their power to squabble among themselves and oppress the peasantry instead of maintaining order in the land. Degenerate ronin prowled the countryside as bandits and assasins. The only difference Hiko's sword made in the long run was to raise the body count, killing villains like flies only for more to rise and take their place.

Eventually Hiko came to the realisation that murder was the only art a swordsman could practice, and no ornamental words could change that. To try and change the world with murder was futile. All he could do was to continue killing evildoers and hope to retain his humanity by laying his victims to rest. Jaded by his experiences, he was slowly losing his purpose in life.

That was before he met Shinta-no, Kenshin, not Shinta. _Sword-heart._ That's what he named him. The boy was still young, still pure and noble of heart. He wanted the strength to protect the innocent from what he had suffered, and Hiko would help him gain that strength. In him, Hiko had found a new purpose.

_Yes. I will train this boy here, so that one day he will take my place and uphold the principles of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ry__ū__, and through him I will be redeemed._

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Glossary:

Hakama: A Japanese lower body garment. Worn, among others, by practitioners of kendo/kenjutsu.

Shishou: A respectful term for addressing one's teacher. Equivalent to 'Master'.

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Author's note: Although it's been done before, I had the idea of doing an origins fic for Kenshin because I had a different idea about certain aspects of his and Hiko's history than other writers.

For instance,

1)I believe Hiko was still leading a wanderer's life before he met Shinta. Neither anime nor manga shows him having a home at that time. In fact he tells Shinta that he was lucky that Hiko happened to walk that particular path. And Hiko himself says in a monologue that all he could do was kill the villains that kept springing up everywhere, so he had not yet consigned himself to being a hermit. He only settled down after he met his apprentice.

2)Nearly all of fandom believes that the home Hiko lived in during the Kyoto arc is the same home he occupied when he was raising Kenshin. I believe they are both different places. Otherwise Kenshin wouldn't have needed to go through so much trouble to find out his whereabouts during the Kyoto arc, he would have recognised the place when he got there and Hiko wouldn't be living under the newly assumed name of Niitsu Kakunoshin(since anyone living nearby would already know his old name). Also, in the OVA and in a manga flashback, Hiko's home while training Kenshin appears to be surrounded by snowy mountains while in the anime he lives on a forested hill near Kyoto.

Another thing. The official translation for the word 'Kenshin' is 'Heart of Sword' but it can also be interpreted as 'sword-heart'. I prefer the latter translation because it does a better job of conveying that Kenshin has the heart of a swordsman, while 'Heart of Sword' seems to give the impression of him being hard-hearted.

PS: I'm writing this fic largely for my own satisfaction, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a review, good or bad. If you enjoyed this fic or felt that there was something lacking in it, please spend a moment to help me improve my writing.

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	2. No longer a slave

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**Chapter II: No longer a slave**

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Hiko Seijuro XIII was in paradise.

In the cellar before him lay hundreds upon hundreds of jugs stacked sky-high in shelves, holding every kind of sake imaginable. For a connoisseur like him, there was no better place to be. The aroma was breathtaking.

"Hiko-sama," Two beautiful women with sexy voices addressed him. "How may we help you?"

"Should we serve you some sake?" Asked one. "What does your heart desire?"

Hiko composed himself. Someone as manly and refined as himself should not behave like an awestruck child. "I'll have a pint of all your best varieties, please." he answered with a pleasant smile.

They led him to a table in the corner with a plump cushion to recline on. "Do you want us massage those huge muscles while sipping your sake, Hiko-sama?"

"Why not?" The pleasure was evident on his face, as he observed them placing cup after cup of sake of the finest vintage before his eyes. "Shishou!" _Eh? What was that squeaky little voice?_

"This is the life!" he crooned, gulping down his fifth cup as a pair of soft hands gently rubbed his tired shoulders. "Shishou!" _That strange voice again..._

Hiko continued to ignore it. Then suddenly the hands started rubbing harder. "Hey! Not so hard. I want a gentle massage." he complained.

"SHISHOU!"

Hiko woke with a start. He then noticed four things.

Firstly, he was not in a sake cellar but a shabby hut. Whose roof had holes in it through which bright sunlight was falling on his eyes.

Secondly, there were no beautiful women, only one beautiful(had he been a girl) little boy.

Thirdly, the soft hands belonged to the aforemented boy, and they were shaking his shoulders, not rubbing them.

And lastly, the smell invading his nostrils was not the aroma of sake but a rather unpleasant smell that he had become quite familiar with in the past month.

"Shishou..." Kenshin started, "It's getting late..."

"Kenshin," he said groggily, sounding angrier by the second. "You haven't, by chance, wet your futon again, have you?"

"Umm," the boy mumbled, sheepishly. "Yes, I have."

"BAKA DESHI!"

XXXXXXXX

"Keep scrubbing till the colour and smell goes away!" yelled Hiko, as he watched over the bubbling pot.

"But my hands are tired, Shishou..."

"Shut up! And when you're done you have to clean the floor. Twice. Only then will you get breakfast!"

"Shishou! This is inhuman!"

Hiko smirked. Hearing Kenshin complain was a sign that he was finally growing out of the mindset of a slave. Ever since he took him in, he was worried about the boy's quiet submissiveness. He would do whatever tasks Hiko asked of him without question, no matter how difficult they were. He had told Hiko that he had only been a slave for a few months, so Hiko guessed that the slavers must have been very dedicated with their job. Seeing the welts across Kenshin's back where he had been whipped, he knew he was right.

Now Hiko Seijuro didn't mind having an obedient pupil, but he did _**not**_ want to train a mindless puppet.

Ultimately he decided, in all his infinite wisdom, that the best way to beat the slave boy out of Kenshin was to pile chore after chore on him till he snapped under the pressure. That would be convenient for him as well.

Strangely, the idea had worked.

After he finally finished, Kenshin walked over to his master's side, his joints aching.

"Took you long enough. The soup is cold, but it's still edible." said Hiko, handing him a bowl. "Finish up. After this we're going to finish fixing that damn roof."

Kenshin drained his bowl greedily, too hungry to argue.

Hiko had spent the past two weeks teaching the boy carpentry as they went about making repairs to the dilapidated hut. Unfortunately, Kenshin was not as quick as he hoped when it came to learning skills related to craftsmanship. He was, however, very good at feminine tasks like cooking and cleaning, much to his master's chagrin. Hiko wondered if he had been a girl in his previous life.

By the time they finished it was past dusk.

"Finally. That took ages." said Hiko, seated comfortably on a rock, sipping sake as he watched his pupil stretch his tired limbs up on the roof.

"If you'd been up here helping me it'd have been over in half the time." snapped Kenshin, who was aching all over his body. "I did all the work!"

"It's not my fault those beams can't support the weight of my mature body." said Hiko pleasantly. He looked over the repairs with a critical eye. They would last the winter, but afterwards they would need a reworking. Kenshin wasn't much of a carpenter. "Now come down. It's time for dinner."

As they ate in silence, Hiko noticed Kenshin staring at him hesitantly and then withdrawing his gaze, as if he wanted to ask Hiko something important but was afraid to do so. "Whatever is on your mind, say it out aloud instead of staring at me like a shy little girl."

Kenshin reddened. "Shishou...I _really, really_ appreciate you taking me in, but...when are you going to teach me...you know..."

Hiko stared. "What?"

"Well...how to be a swordsman?"

_Ah._

"Be patient. We have to get you a sword first. And besides, it is important for a swordsman to possess other skills besides that of the sword." Hiko looked at him thoughtfully. "How well were you educated?"

"Eh?" The boy looked confused.

"You said your parents were peasants. Did they teach you anything? How to read and write? Mathematics?"

"Well," the boy looked embarrassed. "I can read. But I can't write very well...and I can add and subtract..."

Hiko snorted. That settled it. He would spend the next two weeks tutorning the boy on calligraphy and basic mathematics. Then they would go to the village to get supplies and pick up his sword. Then, finally, his training would begin for real.

"By the way, you'll be doing all the cooking from tomorrow onwards. I've taught you enough. For breakfast I want rabbit stew with herbs."

"Whaaaa..?"

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Author's note: I hope Hiko didn't end up looking like a perverted Jiraiya clone. I just needed a scenario for him to have a nice dream and sake was the only thing that came up(being the only thing he's really fond of). It seemed natural that the sake would be served by pretty female waitresses. And while Hiko is by no means a womaniser, he certainly doesn't mind showing off in front of the ladies, as he showed at the Aoiya. Please Review. All it takes is a minute.

PS. For the next chapter, I need to come up with some Japanese names. Can someone help me out with a list, please?


	3. The Girl in the Village

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**Chapter III: The Girl in the village**

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The wooden sign read "General Store". Underneath it, an old man sat on the threshold, engrossed in his reading.

"Grandpa!" Matsuhiro looked down to see the child playing at his feet tugging on his robe. "People are coming from the mountain."

He removed his reading glasses and looked in the direction of the mountain. Sure enough, there were two figures heading in the direction of his shop. Customers?

As they came closer, he vaguely recognised their features. One was a large man who wore a majestic cloak and carried a sword. The other was a little boy with red hair.

_The Ronin and his son. Or was it disciple?  
_

"Ah...Hako-san!" He called out in greeting. "It's been a while. Welcome back to my humble shop."

"It's Hiko!" the tall man replied in annoyance. "Hiko Seijuro, and don't you forget it."

"Of course, of course." the old man said, a little nervously. "My memory's not what it used to be, I'm afraid. How can I help you, Hiko-san?"

"We need supplies." the swordsman replied curtly. "I'll browse around. Wait here, Kenshin."

Meanwhile, Himiko stared curiously at the strange boy that was trotting along behind the huge man.

As his master entered the shop, he was left standing alone and looked around nervously. His eyes fell on the raven haired girl before him. He blushed. She was pretty.

"Are you an oni?" she asked, staring wide-eyed at him. "What?" He was confused.

"You have red hair." she replied matter-of-factly. "I've never seen a person with red hair before. Grandpa says that only oni have red hair. Or did you colour it red?"

"I'm no _oni_!" Kenshin replied indignantly, his embarrassment replaced by anger. "I'm human, I tell you. And I've always had red hair!" Pretty girl or not, he hated being mocked.

"All right, all right! Don't be so stuck up." said Himiko, nonchalantly. "To make up for it, how about I make you my friend?"

"F-friend?" he asked, surprised. He had never had any friends...not since he left his home village, anyway.

"Yup. We'll swear it with our pinkies. Here." She offered her pinky finger. Kenshin curled his own around it. _So soft..._

"We'll be tied together by the red threads of destiny!" Himiko declared happily. "Atleast, that's what my grandpa says happens when two people swear with their pinkies."

"Tied together?" Kenshin wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. Would it be as friends or....he blushed again. _Something else? _

"Let's play! I'll show you around the village." She started pulling him away before a voice interrupted. "Kenshin!"

The two looked up to see Kenshin's master carrying several armfuls of groceries, tools and clothing. And sake, of course. "We're done for now. Let's go."

"But Shish-"

"Don't argue. You expect me to carry this all by myself?" Hiko shoved several parcels into Kenshin's small hands. "Now come on." He set off in the direction of the mountain.

"Is that your father?" Himiko asked, staring at Hiko's retreating back with a look of dissaproval.

"No. He's my Shishou. My parents are dead." Kenshin replied, trying to balance the weight in his arms.

"Oh." She started, wondering if she had asked the wrong question.

"Don't be sorry. It happened a long time ago." Kenshin assured.

"Okay." She brightened. "Tell you what, I'll show you around next time you come here. You'll be coming here often right?"

Kenshin paused, unsure. "I guess so. We need supplies..."

"Good! What's your name?"

"Shin-" Kenshin corrected himself just in time. "No, Kenshin. It's Kenshin." _Shinta is gone. I'm a swordsman now. At least, I will be. _

"Sword-heart?" She wondered aloud at the meaning. "That's an unusual name. Are you a swordsman, then?"

"Umm...yes." Kenshin replied awkwardly. _Well, technically. Though I haven't started training yet._

"Then where's your sword?" She looked pointedly at his obi, where there was no trace of any weapon.

"I haven't got one yet." He replied, a little embarrased.

Himiko frowned. "A swordsman without a sword? That has to be a first." Then seeing Kenshin opening his mouth to argue, she added, "But it sounds really nice."

Kenshin blushed again. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes. It sounds heroic." she said, smiling. "Anyway, I'm Himiko. My parents run the village tavern. They're busy all day, so I stay here with my grandpa."

"Himiko," Kenshin repeated. "I'll remember that." Then he heard his master bellowing in the distance. "BAKA DESHI! Are you going to stand there all day? I'll leave you behind!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Please wait, Shishou." As she watched the boy hurrying away into the distance, Himiko couldn't help feeling pleased with herself. She'd made a new friend. That new boy seemed a little strange, but...she blushed. He wasn't bad looking.

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_oni_: The demons/ogres of Japanese folklore.

_obi_: Sash.

Author's note: I always had the idea that Kenshin may have had a 'childhood sweetheart' of sorts, a girl from the village nearby who may have had a crush on him. One story where this was handled really well was **IttyBittyBuddinski **by Croik. Check it out. And review this, please.


	4. An introduction to Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū

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**Chapter IV: An introduction to the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū

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**

"We'll be tied together by the red threads of destiny!" Himiko declared happily. "Let's play, Kenshin-kun!"

"Himiko-chan..."

They were holding hands and frolicking in the grass. She was so pretty.

"Kenshin-kun..your name sounds so heroic." Himiko cooed. Then she leaned against his shoulder. Towards him, as if she was about to...

"Baka deshi! Are you going to sleep all morning? Get up!"

As if this interruption wasn't rude enough, a huge hand descended and pulled off his warm blanket, while another grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him like a rag doll.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" he yelled, his face flushed with embarrassment. _What was that dream?_

"Hurry up and get my bath ready. And your bath, and then breakfast!" Hiko sauntered off to the massive jar in the corner for his usual morning dose of sake.

Kenshin hurried about doing his chores, trying to forget his strange dream.

Breakfast was more scrumptious than usual, made with the vegetables and herbs they had bought yesterday. But of course there wasn't a single world of compliment from his Shishou. Rather, he was looking at Kenshin with a thoughtful expression throughout the meal.

"Well, at least you'll make a decent cook even if this doesn't work out." he said, when they finished and Kenshin set about clearing the pots and pans. _What?_

"Leave the washing for later." Hiko instructed. "Today marks the beginning of your training as a swordsman."

Kenshin stared, surprised. He had begun to despair that his master would be content to continue using him for menial labour forever. "Now?"

"Yes, **now**." Hiko dug into one of the packages they had brought home the previous evening and pulled out an elongated bundle. Carefully, he unwrapped it and held out the object to Kenshin.

Kenshin took the present into his hands. It felt heavy. It was a katana.

"I sent out instructions for it to be delivered to Matsuhiro's shop when it was done. Thankfully it arrived on time." Hiko continued. "Well, what are you waiting for? Draw it. Take a look. You'll be using it for quite a while now."

Slowly, Kenshin slid the weapon out of its saya. He could see his reflection in the polished blade. He ran his forefinger along it's edge. "Ouch!" He sucked his bleeding finger. "It's sharp!"

Hiko looked annoyed. _Is this boy retarded mentally as well as physically? _"Of course it's sharp. It's a sword. Only a training sword, but you're far too small to handle a real one."

Kenshin ignored the remark about his size. "But I thought swordsmen trained with wooden swords? And wore padding for protection...otherwise someone could get hurt..."

Hiko sighed. "Kenshin, listen carefully, because I don't want to repeat myself. This is the first and most important lesson that I will ever teach you." Kenshin looked up, alert and focused.

Hiko's eyes narrowed as they looked into his pupil's. "A sword is a weapon of murder, and kenjutsu is the art of killing. No matter what pretty words you use, _that_ is its true nature."

He paused, seeing the shocked look in the boy's eyes, then continued. "The style of kenjutsu I am about to teach you is a very old style called Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū. It teaches the way of the satsujinken, the sword that destroys life. Practicing it with shinai or bokken would be a denial of its true nature. Real swordsmen do not play with toys!" He finished, with an air of finality.

"Here." He said, unwrapping another parcel to reveal a new gi and hakama. "I bought these training clothes for you. Get changed. I'll be waiting outside." He threw the clothes into Kenshin's arms and left the hut, his student still standing there, unnerved.

_I haven't hidden anything from him. He knows the bitter facts. He still has a choice. If he still wants to go through with this, he will._

Hiko was inwardly pleased to hear his student's footsteps behind him. He turned around to see him standing in the new gi and hakama, which were a little too large for him. _Eh? I bought the smallest size available_. The katana was tucked into his obi. "You realise there is no turning back from here on."

"Yes." Kenshin replied, his eyes stern and his gaze focused. His voice brimmed with determination. "I want to become strong so that I can protect people from suffering. I will do whatever it takes to gain that strength."

Hiko gazed at him analytically. Finally he gave him a slight grin. "Well, then what you will do first is to make sure you've tucked your katana into your obi the right way." Kenshin looked at him quizzically.

"You're wearing your sword edge-down, baka deshi. Katanas are worn edge-up." Hiko grinned more widely. "Otherwise gravity makes the edge scrape against the sheath, damaging them both." Kenshin hastily corrected his first mistake.

"Good. Now the time for talking is over." Hiko drew his nihontō from its sheath and held it in a basic stance. "Draw your sword."

Kenshin did so, copying his Shishou. "No, not like that. That's not the proper way to hold a sword." Hiko corrected him. "Left hand at the bottom end of the hilt and right hand at the top, like this."

This time his pupil held it correctly.

"Acceptable. Now, the best way I can instruct you is by example. One of the main prerequisites for learning and applying Hiten Mitsurugi is a keen sense of observation. Watch my movements carefully." Hiko performed a series of katas, one of the basic forms of the technique.

Kenshin watched his Shishou swinging, his eyes mesmerised by the grace and agility of his movements. It was like an elaborate dance form.

"Now it's your turn. Do it!" Hiko ordered, when he finished.

Kenshin stirred. He had only watched the katas once. How could Hiko expect him to perform them correctly? He raised his sword and tried to remember his master's movements and mimic them as best as he could.

"Not like that, baka deshi! You're off balance." Hiko corrected him on his stance, and instructed him to do it again. This was repeated, then to Hiko's surprise Kenshin managed to pull off a perfect application of the form on his third attempt.

"How was that, Shishou?" A jubilant Kenshin asked, expecting praise.

Hiko was careful not to let any surprise show on his face._ It's only natural for him to learn so fast. After all, he has me as his teacher.  
_

"It was a start." He replied curtly. "Now repeat that 2,000 times."

Kenshin couldn't believe his ears. "But this sword is heavy. And my arms feel like they're about to fall off."

"Ha! Like that'll happen." With that Hiko walked away, leaving his pupil to practice alone. There was no need to supervise him. He was an honest boy, he would not try to deceive him. Meanwhile, Hiko had other things to do.

"Shishou, I'm done." Hiko looked up from his stone carving to see the tired visage of his pupil, leaning on his sword for support. He got up, showed his pupil another basic form and inttructed him to repeat it another 2,000 times, much to the boy's dismay. Then he resumed working on his carving. He needed to complete it before their next trip to the village: otherwise they wouldn't have any money to buy supplies for winter.

This routine continued for the rest of the day, past sunset, interrupted only by meals which Hiko had been gracious enough to make himself(since food cooked by his pupil's dirty, sweaty hands wouldn't be hygienic). Finally, when he found Kenshin lying on the ground, collapsed from exhaustion, Hiko decided to call it a day and make supper.

After tucking his tired student into bed, Hiko took a self-contented swig of sake and smiled.

_He will turn out all right._

His baka deshi was a quick learner. Of course, he had learnt practically nothing on his first day, and there was much to teach him, and not just in terms of techniques. In particular he had to learn to respect his own limits, instead of practising till he fainted. Many years would pass before he was ready to take on the white mantle of a Hiten Mitsurugi master, but for now Hiko allowed himself to hope that all would be well.

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Glossary:

saya: Scabbard for a Japanese sword, usually made of wood.

shinai: A bamboo sword designed for practising kenjutsu with minimum risk of serious injury due to its flexible cylindrical blade..

bokken: A one-piece wooden sword having size and shape similar to a nihontō, used for practice. Unlike shinai, it can easily break bones and dislocate joints even in an amateur's hands. Hence only experts are allowed to use it in modern kendo. Its proper Japanese name is 'bokuto'.

obi: A Japanese sash.

nihontō: The proper name for all variations of the Japanese sword. In the databook Hiko's sword is referred to only as a _shirasaya nihontō_ (meaning a nihontō with wooden sheath and hilt). Its type is not specified. It is long enough to be considered a nodachi(a greatsword with a length of four to five feet that was carried on the back and wielded two-handed), but because of Hiko's size he can wear it at his side and swing it like a regular katana.

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Author's note: Whew. Finally he's starting to get some training done. Would you believe this took me six hours to write? But it'll take you only a few minutes to review, so please do so whether you liked it or not.

PS. Hiko was essentially a swordsman, but he needed to earn a living and so was also a potter by profession. But he didn't know pottery back when he was training Kenshin, so I guess he practiced some other trade back then. Every fanfic I've read that addressed this issue decided on calligraphy(which basically involves writing wise philosophical sayings using a paintbrush on strips of cloth or paper to hang on walls). But I wasn't so sure, because if he could have made a living in such a simple fashion why would he switch to something as labour-intensive as pottery? I finally decided on stone carving because it was the only thing I could think of that would suit a large, burly man. Also because at the beginning the OVA he was shown sipping sake next to a bunch of carvings. Not sure if they were made by him.


	5. Ryu Tsui Sen

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**Chapter V: Ryu Tsui Sen**

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"RYU TSUI SEN!"

His blade descended upon the large dome of granite, its momentum enhanced by the earth's gravity. On making contact, the rock was sliced cleanly in half, right down to its base.

Kenshin grinned as he landed gracefully on his feet. He freed his sword from the newly created cleft and sheathed it. All around him were the shattered remains of rocks that he had used for practice. But none of them were cut as cleanly as this one. He'd mastered another technique. After just two weeks of practice. _And this time I made a perfect landing too._ A broken leg, a twisted ankle and other more serious injuries from the past had taught him the importance of maintaining his balance while descending.

Not that he expected a single word of praise from his master. Rather, Hiko would likely ask to spar with him to test his progress, humiliate him completely and tell him to practice the technique over and over again for weeks as punishment. _If only I could beat him even once..._

Still, he had come a long way from the time when he couldn't even do the basic katas properly.

_If only Himiko and the others could see this. _He tried to imagine the looks on their faces when he demonstrated his latest technique before them. _Toshida and his snobby friends will be jealous._

He closed his eyes, blissfully dreaming of Himiko and the other girls cheering him on and Toshida apologising profusely for mocking his stature. Never mind the fact that Hiko had clearly told him _not_ to show off his techniques in front of the villagers.

XXXXXXXX

Hiko Seijuro gazed admiringly at the object in front of him.

His latest sculpture, carved from the soft white stone he found at the base of the waterfall. The image of a smiling Buddha sitting cross-legged, its fine features chiseled to perfection.

_I've really outdone myself._

He held the statue lovingly in his outstretched hands, moving it around so that he could appreciate the way its polished surface shone and glistened in the moonlight.

_"Being a free sword is a noble goal, if often a thankless one. But it does not pay, not in material terms.' _his Shishou used to say._ "That is why a Hiten Mitsurugi master must possess talents other than that of the sword."_ And boy, did he have _talent_.

_Only a master artisan like myself could craft such a fine work. Even the real Buddha would shy away in embarrassment.  
_

Not that he believed in the Buddha. In his opinion, religions were little more than a crutch for ignorant folk to cling to seek some solace in their sad, miserable lives.

But there were plenty of others who were taken in by this nonsense. And that is why his latest work would fetch a fine price from the travelling merchant at the village. Enough to feed and clothe him and his baka deshi for a year.

That reminded him. Where on earth was the baka? It was getting late. He should have finished his practice and returned by now. Dinner wouldn't cook itself, after all.

His thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched squeal.

"SHIIIISSSSHOOOOOOU!"

A shocked Hiko dropped the statue and instinctively reached for his sword. _Had the baka deshi gotten in trouble with with wolves again?_

What he saw on turning around was a very happy Kenshin smiling from ear to ear and carrying two dead rabbits in one hand and a basket of wild berries in the other.

"I'm baaaack!" He declared happily, much louder than he needed. "And I've brought tonight's dinner with me!"

Hiko looked down at the two broken halves of his prized creation lying on the ground. The detached Buddha head smiled serenely at him, as if pleased with his misfortune.

_One month of hard labour gone to waste....and it would have fetched such a fine price, too..._

"Shishou," he heard his pupil calling behind him. "Are you feeling fine? You've been staring at those lumps of rock for a full minute." Slowly, he turned around to face the owner of the voice.

"By the way, you'll never believe it but I mastered that new technique you ta-" Kenshin stopped short when he saw the evil glint in Hiko's eyes..

"Really?" Hiko asked in a voice which made Kenshin feel like how one of the rabbits in his hand must have felt when he caught them. Like prey that was cornered by a predator.

"Show me. In a sparring match." Hiko took a step towards Kenshin, the pebbles crunching audibly under his boot. Kenshin felt a murderous aura surrounding his master. Was this the 'sword-ki' his Shishou had talked about?

"B-b-but it's already dark!" Kenshin whined, trying to buy time to think of a way to pacify his master. He didn't know what he had done wrong(Had Hiko found out about Kenshin smashing his favourite sake jar? But he had cleaned up and buried the pieces!) but he did know that he was in for a sound thrashing.

"How is that a problem? I've taught you to fight in the dark, after all." Hiko's smile was contradicted by the sadistic tone of his voice. "Come on! Let's see how well this baka deshi who doesn't know not to shock his master has been training."

XXXXXXXX

They made their way to the waterfall where they usually sparred. Hiko insisted that practicing on the slippery rocks beneath the fall helped improve his sense of balance. Kenshin believed that his master just enjoyed tossing him into the water.

They took up positions on the rocks. "Attack." Hiko demanded, drawing his nihonto. Kenshin had a feeling that he was in for more than his usual share of dunkings.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, opened them and leaped high into the air.

"RYU TSUI SEN!"

His master just stood there, looking up at him with a stone faced expression as he descended. _Ah! He was going to execute a successful hit after all..._

"Tch! What a predictable attack!"

Hiko swung his sword one-handed, effortlessly knocking both Kenshin and his weapon to the side and into the waterfall. _Or not._

Hiko watched his student struggle in the water. It was hard to believe that only a year ago he would sink like a rock whenever he entered water. But being thrown into the river hundreds of times had made him a good swimmer.

"Get up! You don't get to go back till you manage to hit me." he ordered.

XXXXXXXX

For the tenth time, Kenshin dragged himself out of the river. _At this rate I'll die of pneumonia. What did I ever do to deserve this?_

He'd never be able to beat his Shishou here. But maybe...

Kenshin's suppressed his grin as he prepared to attack once again.

He leapt up into the air again. Hiko looked up, tensed, ready to parry the attack when it came.

But it never came.

"KENSHIN!" Irritated, Hiko leapt up after his pupil. He landed gracefully on the riverbank at the top of the waterfall and found his baka deshi standing on a tree limb, grinning down at him. For some reason the fact that for once Kenshin was the one looking down on him made him twice as angry.

"You ran away from our match."

"No, I didn't." Kenshin replied in a naughty tone. "But you never said the fight had to be only there, Shishou." And he turned around and leaped into the trees.

Hiko followed after him, fuming. He kept to the ground, since most of the branches couldn't stand his weight._ So that's why he lured me here._

Eventually, they came to a clearing in the forest and Kenshin took up position on one of the higher branches of a tall tree. "Now, Shishou, whatever it is I did, you'll forgive me of I mangage a successful attack, right?"

"I suppose I'll have to." sighed Hiko. He was getting tired of this game of cat and mouse. Tired and hungry.

"And cook dinner, too? Because I feel _exhausted_."

Now Hiko was getting furious. "And if you fail you'll do every single chore for the next six months!"

That lowered Kenshin's morale somewhat. He raised his sword, crouched and leaped high into the air, using the flexible branch as a springboard.

It was like flying. This time he had leaped so high that the massive figure of his Shishou was only a tiny speck on the ground. He had never seen Hiko jump this high. He was even better at this sort of thing than his master.

_I like this. I get the feeling this is going to be my favourite technique._

He descended rapidly, sword raised in his hands. _This time he would succeed._

"RYU TSUI-"

CRACK.

Hiko watched his unconscious pupil falling freely towards him after hitting his head on an overhanging branch. He caught him just as he landed. Briefly, he glanced at the fat, broken branch that landed several feet away. _Hn. He has a thick head._ Then immediately, he dropped Kenshin onto the hard ground.

"What will I do with you, baka deshi?" He pondered aloud, a mixture of humour and frustration in his voice. His pupil's latest clumsy antics had erased most of his temper.

Leaving his pupil lying on the ground, he headed back in the direction of the hut for a late dinner. No way would he carry Kenshin all the way home. A night of sleeping under the stars wouldn't do his baka deshi any harm. In fact, he would need the rest for all the chores that awaited him the next day.

* * *

Ryu Tsui Sen - One of the most basic moves of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū. It is simply a powerful sword slash descending from above. The Ryu Tsui Sen - Zan is a variant with a downward thrust instead of a slash.

Author's note: This chapter was originally meant to be part of a larger one but I got somewhat carried away while typing it and it ended up so long that I decided to publish it separately. The Ryu Tsui Sen, according to Hiko, was Kenshin's favourite move. So I decided that he should have some special(read: embarrassing) memory attached to it. How about cracking his head on a tree branch while landing?


	6. Sakura petals and Birthdays

* * *

**Chapter VI: Sakura petals and Birthdays**

* * *

It was a pleasant morning.

The autumn sun cast its pale yellow rays upon the snow-capped mountain and its surrounding flora, accentuating their natural beauty. The various varieties of trees shed their leaves in preparation for the approaching winter.

One that stood out in particular was the lone cherry tree that stood outside the little cottage by the base of the mountain. A small boy stood in the shadow of its branches, swinging his katana among the falling sakura petals.

Kenshin's eyes were narrowed with concentration as he smoothly executed the katas in nonstop succession. The descending petals were neatly sliced apart as they entered the path of his blade, and he strained not to let a single one fall to the ground unscathed.

As his body subconsciously immersed itself in the routine, Kenshin's mind wandered, recalling past memories of his training.

A few months ago, Hiko had led him to the beech tree at the edge of the forest. "Now watch carefully."

He delivered a hard kick to the trunk. Nothing happened. A few leaves fell from the branches. The birds that nested in the higher branches cried loudly.

Hiko stared at them derisively, then unsheathed his nihontō and swung it, with great force, over the trunk.

"Ryu Kan Sen!" Of course, he made sure to flip his sword beforehand so that only the blunt edge struck. He didn't want to chop down the tree; that would defeat the purpose of his demonstration, after all. Even if it had been impudent enough to make his mighty kick look worthless.

Immediately, two things happened. First, the tree shook violently. Second, hundreds of leaves started falling from the branches. "Now, Kenshin. Pay attention!"

With that, Hiko drew his nihontō in a vicious flurry of swings and twirls that even Kenshin's sharp eyes found difficult to follow. The descending leaves were shredded by the onslaught and their pieces fell to the ground, covering it with a thin layer of leaf fragments.

Kenshin didn't know how many minutes passed before the leaves stopped falling, but he did know that he couldn't see a single whole leaf on the ground.

With a look of smug satisfaction, Hiko sheathed his sword. "Now you do it. This is your latest training exercise."

Kenshin stared. "I'm supposed to make leaves fall and slash them all before they touch the ground?" He asked, more to himself than to his master. He found it hard enough to slash a single leaf in mid-air. How could he do the same with hundreds of them?

Hiko stared at him witheringly. _So dense..._"Haven't I just told you? Listen. I've taught you all the basic forms of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu, and while sparring with me you've learnt how to apply them to a single opponent. But the Hiten Mitsurugi's main specialty is in enabling a swordsman to fight multiple opponents simultaneously. And as great as I am, even _I_ can't attack from more than two directions at once." As he said this he drew himself up in a majestic pose, letting his vanity take over.

"And so this. This is excellent training for learning to apply the Hiten Mitsurugi forms in all directions around you. There are plenty of leafy trees here. Keep trying till you can do it without letting a single leaf escape." Then he curtly left, leaving Kenshin to ponder how he could accomplish the impossible.

_Oh, well. I won't gain anything just standing here. All the earlier exercises also seemed impossible when I started them._

With all the force he could muster, Kenshin flipped his sword and swung it at the tree. Only three leaves (and some bird droppings) came. After wiping his head and several more tries, he managed to dislodge only a handful of the remaining leaves.

Sadly, Kenshin's small frame lacked the strength to shake the trees hard enough to make enough leaves fall for a proper training exercise. Needless to say he didn't make much progress in the first few weeks, much to his master's chagrin.

Thankfully, autumn came, and Kenshin was saved the trouble of having to make the leaves fall. But he preferred practising on sakura petals, which were white in colour and blended with the pale sky, allowing him to train his eyesight better. They were also prettier.

Kenshin was broken out of his reverie when he noticed that there were no more petals for him to cut. He looked up to see the tree's branches completely bare of flowers. Then he looked down to observe the fallen petals around him. It appeared that about half of them were still intact. He sighed.

He'd come a long way in just a few weeks, but there was still a lot of room for improvement. He remembered how Hiko hadn't left even a single leaf unscathed.

_Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Shishou's sword didn't even touch all the leaves. Could that have been the 'razor wind' from swinging his sword?_

He needed to find another tree which still had leaves or petals left.

"KENSHIN!" He heard his master's voice behind him.

"We're going to the village. We need to get supplies for the winter. Get your things ready." Hiko said, already dressed in his travelling gear under his white cloak.

Kenshin perked up at the thought. It had been a while since he saw Himiko and the others. And wouldn't get to see them again for a while after the snow fell...

XXXXXXXX

"Hoko-san! Come to stock up for the winter, I suppose?"

"It's Hiko! When will you ever get that into your memory, Matsuhiro-san?" Hiko asked in annoyance. He had a feeling the old man did this on purpose to get under his nerves so that he'd have an advantage while haggling.

"Ho! Ho! What can I say? Old age and all." said the owner of the General Store, his gentle voice belying his shrewdness. He was nowhere near as incapable as people thought, Hiko knew. "Anyway, I have something you would be _very_ interested in. A special vintage of sake I got from a merchant from Kyoto. To make it up to you I'll give you a special discount for it."

"Hmm. I'll have a look. I rather doubt it's anywhere near as special as you say." Hiko's face remained impassive, but he couldn't wholly mask the eagerness in his voice. It would be a hard bargain.

"Shishou, can I look around the village for a bit?" Kenshin called out behind him.

"If you don't mind, the village headman would love the honour of having you as his guest for the afternoon, Hiko-san." Seeing the refusal on the sword-master's face Matsuhiro added "_Please_ consider the offer." This time the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes conveyed a sense of urgency.

Hiko raised an eyebrow. What could the headman want with him? There was more to this than met the eye. "Very well. But your headman had better not be stingy with his sake."

He called out to his pupil. "Kenshin! You have until evening! Make sure you're outside the tavern by sunset. And if you get in trouble don't expect me to bail you out."

Kenshin couldn't believe his ears. A whole afternoon all to himself? "Thank you, Shishou." He bowed in gratitude, then scurried away before his master decided to change his mind.

"Oi! Kenshin-san." Matsuhiro called out behind him. "If you're looking for my granddaughter, she's at Shino's place." Hiko glared at him suspiciously. Why was it that he never forgot Kenshin's name?

"Thanks." Kenshin hurried over to the house at the western end of the village. Shino was the carpenter's son, who studied under his father as an apprentice. Kenshin had made a friend of him when he helped him in repairing a broken chair that his father had given him as a test. Kenshin expected to find him and his friends playing outside, but strangely there was no one in sight. All was silent.

Kenshin had an odd sense of foreboding as he approached the house. All the doors and windows were shut. Where was everybody? He gently knocked on the door.

Slowly, the shōji slid open, but only wide enough for half a face to peek through the dark gap.

"Uh..." Kenshin wasn't sure how to react to this strange greeting. "Is Shino here? I'm a friend of his."

Then from inside squealed a voice that Kenshin remembered from before. "That's Kenshin's voice! Let him in!"

The shoji slid open to reveal a dozen-odd shapes seated around the room, shrouded by the darkness. "Ah! So you're that swordsman kid Shino talked about earlier!" The tall figure that opened the door said, voice filled with recognition. "We never expected to see you today." another voice said to his left, this one familiar to him. _Aori?_ "Who told you about this? Nobody's even seen you in the past month." A rather snobbish voice declared in annoyance. _Oh no...Toshida._

"Told me about what? What's going on here?" Kenshin asked, his voice rising as his own annoyance grew. He looked around at the dark shapes. "Why's everybody sitting here in the dark?" He wished that he had his master's ability to sense people's ki.

"Calm down, Kenshin." He recognised the soft voice coming from the centre of the room.

"Himiko?"

"Today is Shino's birthday." She explained. "We're holding a surprise party for him. He should be returning home with his father by now."

"A party?" Kenshin repeated, confused. "What's that?"

Immediately, he could hear laughter across the room, ranging from suppressed snickers to Toshida's loud guffawing. "What a country bumpkin!" He bellowed. "He doesn't know what a party is! Or is your mind as stunted as your body?" Kenshin felt his face reddening with anger and embarrassment and was suddenly glad that it was dark.

"It's a celebration." Himiko explained patiently. "You know, when people get together and eat and drink and make merry. We do it for special occasions like birthdays. Ah, is that them?"

The laughter quickly ceased at Himiko's comment. They strained their ears and heard the clinking of bells in the distance. Shino and his father had returned in their cart.

Shino's mother quickly slid the shoji shut and everybody took up their former positions. Kenshin felt Himiko's hand close around his own and she pulled him into a place next to the fireplace.

"I'm tired, father. Why did we have to go all the way to the town for something so minor?" _Shino._

"Cheer up. Maybe your mother's made something really special for lunch."

The shoji slid open. Then all of a sudden, the windows opened, light flooded into the room and people yelled "Happy birthday, Shino!"

The tall 13-year old's face showed a mixture of joy and surprise. "I'd totally forgotten! So that's why.." he stared at his father accusingly before breaking out into a grin. "Thanks, everybody."

Then his eyes fell on the red haired boy in the centre. "Kenshin! Imagine seeing you here. I thought the old hermit would keep you cooped up till spring." He sprang over to Kenshin's side, sat down and slapped his back in greeting so hard that some of the juice from the cup Kenshin had in his hand spilled over his gi.

"Well, after this we'll probably won't be returning for a couple months.." Kenshin said, ignoring the comment about his master. "How have been doing? I see your father's taking you into buisness with him."

"Yes and no." Shino replied dismissively. "I'm still just an apprentice. I just help him with minor jobs. Handing him the right tools, hammering in a few nails, sawing and shaving planks...Anyhow, how's _your _apprenticeship going?" Seeing the confused look on Kenshin's face, he contued. "You know, with the sword. That's what the hermit is teaching you, right? Some really old school of kenjutsu that nobody knows or cares about?"

Kenshin sweatdropped at his friend's description of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. "Well, I've learnt a few new techniques, but I've still just a novice."

"Well then, why don't you show us a couple of tricks?" Shino's father asked merrily. "It'll be great entertainment for the kids."

"Anata, what are you _saying?_" Shino's mother chastised her husband. "Swords are dangerous. In my opinion children shouldn't have _anything_ to do with them. What if someone gets seriously hurt?"

"Come on now, koishi." He said dismissively. "Swords aren't any more dangerous than saws and axes. As long as people know not to handle them without training, there's no harm done. I'm sure Kenshin knows what he's doing. So how about it, boy?"

"Err...I don't know..." Kenshin muttered uncomfortably. He had just found a chance to impress people and make more friends, but his master had warned him not to make such frivolous use of the Hiten-Mitsurugi.

"Hah! Like I've said before he's all talk!" Toshida sneered. "Come to think of it, we've never seen you drawing our sword, Kenshin. How do we know it's not just a hilt attached to a scabbard?"

Now Kenshin had an overpowering urge to demonstrate the Ryu Tsui Sen on Toshida.

"Come on, Kenshin." He turned around to face Himiko. "I'd like to see you use your sword too. Just once?"

Kenshin sighed. He couldn't help but smile. _How is it that Himiko could always make him listen to her?_

"Oh well. Kaneda-san," he addressed Shino's father. "Do you have any wooden objects l can cut?"

"Sure." he replied nonchalantly. "There's plenty of useless junk left over from Shino's attempts at making furniture."

"Hey-"

"Sorry, son. This may be your special day but I've got to be honest with you."

Kenshin grinned. He hoped he would get to be in more parties in the future. This was getting to be fun.

XXXXXXXX

Hiko waited impatiently outside the tavern. _What a waste this day has been. _

The 'urgent buisness' the village headman wanted him to take care of turned out to be nothing more than a corrupt Bakufu official. The petty crook was demanding large bribes for clearing some minor paperwork related to the trading of goods and was threatening to enforce a raise in taxes otherwise. Of course, it was nothing more than a bluff, though the headman had no way of making sure.

Hiko had resolved the matter without even drawing his sword. The man followed his fleeing Ronin bodyguards with his tail between his legs, having recieved nothing more than a soiled robe for his trouble. Hiko was amused to find that there lived men who were capable of wetting themselves even in middle age. _Let's hope my baka deshi doesn't turn that way. _

"Shishou!" Hiko saw the boy hurrying anxiously towards him. "I'm sorry, Shishou! I lost track of time."

"It's past sunset." The large man grumbled. "Been enjoying yourself, I suppose."

Kenshin tried to look ashamed, but his face wasn't entirely convincing. "Well, come on." Hiko sighed. "We have to pick up our supplies from Matsuhiro's shop and get home before dark."

He considered making the unrepentant boy carry everything as punishment for his lack of punctuality, but thought better of it. That would only delay them further.

XXXXXXXX

"You seem to be in a good mood." Hiko observed over dinner. He had sensed a lot of joy in the boy's ki since that evening. He rarely behaved like this during training.

Kenshin stirred from his distant expression and stared at his master. "Well, yes. I had a good time with my friends today."

"Playing hide and seek, I suppose." Hiko bit into an onigiri. _What does he see in those childish games? _

"Of course not!" Kenshin shouted indignantly. His mouth was still full when he spoke, so he inadvertently ended up spraying food in the direction of his master.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." said an irritated Hiko, who deftly moved himself and his bowl out of the path of the flying food particles. "You're cleaning that up later." He gestured with his chopsticks at the dirtied floor.

Kenshin swallowed loudly, then continued. "I was at a birthday party." He explained. "We ate and drank and sang and..." He cut himself off at that point. He wasn't going to tell his master about showing off his Ryu Tsui Sen.

"A birthday party, eh?" Hiko said dismissively. "A rather wasteful way to spend a day that has little significance apart from reminding you that you're growing older and are a little closer to death."

Kenshin's mood soured on hearing this rather cryptic description of a birthday. He didn't speak any more. Finally, Hiko sighed and conceded, "On the other hand it's a good thing for the villagers to have things to celebrate. It helps them cheer up from their harsh lives. I suppose a birthday would be a good enough occasion."

Kenshin brightened a little, but his face remained thoughful. After a while, he said quietly "I don't know what my birthday is."

Hiko stared.

"In my home village, people were very poor, and many couldn't even read or write. We didn't keep calendars, and we couldn't afford to celebrate things like birthdays, so we didn't bother to keep track of them." Kenshin explained, lost in reminiscence. "So I never knew what day I was born, though I know it was sometime in summer..."

"Well, there's no point thinking about it now." Hiko advised. "Now finish up. It's getting late and we'll be having an early start tomorrow."

Later, after the boy had curled up in his futon, Hiko sipped his usual late night cup of sake, looking at Kenshin thoughtfully.

He felt a pang of guilt when it occurred to him that he had never really given Kenshin anything to smile about since he made him an apprentice. While training, he had always refrained from complementing him openly. Not because he wasn't satisfied with the boy's achievements, but because he didn't want him to get too comfortable with his progress and lose his drive to improve himself. And also because he didn't want Kenshin from getting too attached to him, knowing what would eventually happen. Light on the praise, heavy on toil, just like his master had trained him. Well, perhaps Hiko Seijuro XII had been slightly more gentle.

At home, he indeed acted, as Kenshin would put it , 'like a slave driver', forcing the boy to do nearly all the chores without a word of appreciation._ Wait, slave driver? It's not like I ever beat him._ Except while sparring, of course. He sighed.

_And I'm supposed to be the closest thing he has to family..._

Still, the boy was almost always cheerful, putting on a smiling mask and suppressing whatever negative feelings he had.

"I suppose," Hiko thought aloud. "It wouldn't do any harm to be a little more gentle with him..."

XXXXXXX

"Kenshin. Wake up!"

A pair of light blue eyes opened groggily. The first thing Kenshin noticed was a dampness in his clothes.

"Oh no." He had wet himself in his sleep again. Quietly, he gathered up the blankets, bracing himself for his master's wrath.

"Leave it. I'll wash them later." Kenshin couldn't believe his ears. He turned around to see the white caped figure of his Shishou leaning over the fire, stirring the copper pot. Or _was it _his Shishou? He leaned over, trying to catch a glimpse of his face. He turned around, looking at him with the same familiar face that he had become accustomed to seeing every day.

"I've heated the water for your bath. Hurry up. Breakfast should be ready by the time you're finished."

That totally unnerved Kenshin. The man looked like his Shishou, had a voice like his Shishou, but there was no way they were one and the same. Nevertheless he walked out for his bath. The man seemed to be nice to him, but Kenshin did not want to know what he would be like if his patience was tested.

As he washed himself in the hot tub, it occurred to him that he might still be dreaming. _That's probably it. And I'm sure I only dreamt about wetting my futon. _The thought calmed him immensely._ Well, I might as well enjoy the dream while it lasts._

By the time he got dressed, a wonderful smell wafted through the cottage. _Shishou's cooking never smelled this good before. _He re-entered to see Hiko filling two bowls with food. He offered one to Kenshin. "Eat up. I made a special breakfast today."

Now Kenshin couldn't take it anymore. This was too bizarre even for a dream. He backed away towards a corner of the room, gazing at his 'Shishou' with a mixture of fear and concern on his face.

"What?" Now Hiko's patience was getting tested for real. "I slaved over the fire for two hours to make this. Don't you like it?"

Kenshin's fearful expression intensified. "Who-who are you?"

Hiko stared at him in confusion. He had no idea what his baka deshi was babbling about.

"Who are you and what have you done to my Shishou?" Kenshin demanded, trying to muster some courage. _If only he could retrieve his katana from the wall..._

"Watch who you're talking to, brat!" Hiko roared. "I _am_ your Shishou!"

Okay. That sounded more like him.

Not that Kenshin was convinced. He narrowed his eyes. "Then..then...you must be possessed!" he gasped, as realisation gripped him. _The old man who lived in the cottage before! His spirit's returned to haunt us for living in his house with his goods._

Hiko closed his eyes in frustration as he listened to his pupil blubbering hysterically, as if he expected some supernatural creature to curse him for eternity. _One...Two...Three..._

"I'm so sorry! We didn't mean to! Please let me go, ojii-san. I'll never come back here again, I swear."

_Seven...Eight...Ojii-san?!_

Hiko calmly walked over to his shivering pupil and whacked him over the head with his sheathed sword.

"Now listen here, baka deshi!" He sternly addressed the dazed boy. "I don't know what's come over you, but if this is what I get for taking so much trouble for your _birthday_, well, I'm glad I treated you the way I did all these months."

Kenshin looked up in surprise. _His birthday? _"Shishou, this isn't my birthday."

"Sure it is." Hiko replied nonchalantly.

"I told you that-"

"That you didn't remember the day _Shinta _was born. That's all right. You may not have been keeping track of the time, but it's been exactly one year since I took you as my apprentice. Today is the day _Kenshin _was born." Then for the first time, Hiko smiled openly at his pupil. "Happy birthday, Kenshin. You're ten years old today."

Kenshin stared open-mouthed. _Then all this had been for him? To celebrate his birthday..._

As the realisation washed over him, his eyes brimmed with tears. "Shishou..."

Hiko tensed. He had the uncomfortable feeling Kenshin was about to do something sappy and sentimental.

"Thank you so much!" Kenshin rushed forward to hug his kind master, only to receive another blow on his head.

"Ow! What was that for?" He complained, rubbing the newly formed bump.

"I don't like being hugged by men. Or boys." Hiko said simply. "Let's get back to our breakfast. Your crazy tantrum left the food cold."

"Maybe you could warm it up for me, Shishou?" Kenshin asked sweetly, seeing if he could coax any more favours out of his master on this fortunate day.

"Don't push it." Hiko snarled, a vein popping on his forehead.

They ate leisurely. Even cold the special dishes were delicious. "Mmm. Shishou, we need to eat this stuff more often." Kenshin exclaimed, filling his bowl for the third time.

"Sure. I'll teach you how to make it so that we can have it every day." Hiko answered between mouthfuls. That's not the answer Kenshin was expecting...

When they finally finished, Hiko set about clearing the dishes.

"Now don't think that I'll spend the whole day catering after your every need or throw a party for you." he warned Kenshin. He was already beginning to regret all he'd done so far. The baka deshi may take it for granted and expect the same from him later.

"Of course not, Shishou." Kenshin bubbled cheerfully. This was already the best day of his life.

"I am, however, giving you a day off from training. Do whatever you like today."

"Really?" Kenshin exclaimed, not sure whether he should be glad or not. He'd get to spend a whole day with his friends at the village, but on the other hand..."Master, I haven't completed the leaf-cutting exercise yet. And winter is ready to set in. Soon there won't be any leaves left..."

"That's all right." Hiko waved his hand dismissively. "It's not like you'll master it before next autumn. And besides," his eyes glinted, "I've found an alternative exercise for you."

Kenshin didn't like the sound of that. But he bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you, Shishou."

Hiko snorted. "Don't think I'm being lenient because of your birthday. It's just that I have some other things to do today."

"If you say so, Shishou." Kenshin said, suppressing a smirk. Then he turned around and hurried away, unable to keep the smile from his face." There was some place he needed to get to today...

"Don't forget to return by dusk!" Hiko yelled after him. Then he smiled again, this time more widely. _Baka deshi... _

XXXXXXXX

By the time Kenshin returned it well was past sunset.

"Late again, are we?" Hiko looked down on him with annoyance. "I've got half a mind to just leave you outside to spend the night under the stars.

"It's still my birthday, Shishou."

"Nope. Now it's night. And even if it weren't it wouldn't make any difference to me." Hiko yawned. "Come in."

Kenshin was oddly subdued that night. Hiko could feel an strange mixture of joy, sadness and satisfaction in his ki.

"You didn't go to the village today, did you?" he asked during supper.

"No." Kenshin admitted. "I went _there. _That's why I took so long. I...I wanted to see them again."

Hiko was silent. He didn't need to ask who 'they' were. _Akane. Kasumi. Sakura. The three girls who died to save his life. Who gave him his purpose in life._

"It's been a year since they were buried. I just thought I needed to be there," Kenshin continued. "and let them know that I wouldn't let their sacrifice be in vain. And I finally laid some flowers on their graves."

Hiko swallowed the morsel in his mouth. He gazed at Kenshin. "Their sacrifice will not be in vain." he said forcefully.

Kenshin looked up at him questioningly. "They would be proud of you, Kenshin. There is no doubt about it."

And once again, Kenshin allowed himself to smile.

* * *

Glossary:

shōji - A sliding door made of paper over a wooden frame, used in traditional Japanese homes.

Anata - A term of endearment from wife to husband, similar to 'beloved', 'dearest' or 'darling'.

Koishi - Same as 'anata' but from husband to wife.

Ronin - A masterless samurai. Some Ronin hired themselves away as _Yojimbo_ or bodyguards.

Onigiri - A Japanese rice cake.

Ojii-san - A respectful way to address an old man. You can bet it grated on Hiko's nerves.

Author's note: These chapters require an incredible amount of time to write. Getting to the chapter, it occured to me that although the Hiten Mitsurugi's specialty lies in fighting many opponents simulaneously, all of Kenshin's training flashbacks just show him practicing alone or sparring with Hiko. I came up with the petal/leaf cutting exercise as an explanation for how he trained to fight multiple opponents. I also had an idea about Kenshin celebrating the day Hiko took him in as his birthday. I combined the two in this chapter. Hope they don't come mismatched. From here on I'll be combining two or more scenes with a variable time gap in each chapter.

Next chapter: Some special winter training. Shades of _Batman Begins._


	7. Vampire bats and cold Ice

* * *

**Chapter VII: Vampire bats and hard ice**

* * *

Kenshin stared at the dark entrance of the cave cautiously. It was about seven feet high and wide enough for three men to pass through side-by-side, yet the light entering it was insufficient for his trained eyes to discern even the smallest detail in the pitch black interior.

This wasn't what he had in mind when his master told him he had found an alternative method for training to fight multiple opponents.

"And exactly how long do you plan on standing there gawking?" Kenshin turned to look at the owner of the annoyed voice. "Come over here and have a look! It's freezing and I don't want to be out here any longer than necessary." Hiko ordered.

Slowly, Kenshin walked over to the cave entrance. He still couldn't see anything inside, but his keen ears picked up a strange sound. He couldn't place the sound anywhere but it seemed vaguely familiar.

What was in there that would help him sharpen his skill with the sword? A bear? A snow leopard? Or something worse? A Yeti!? Images of the abominable snowman who had appeared in his grandmother's folktales in his childhood memories ran through his head.

Hiko noticed his hesitation. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're still afraid of the dark."

"I'm more afraid of what's in that darkness." Kenshin gulped.

Hiko sighed. He forcibly positioned Kenshin just beneath the entrance, told him to draw his sword, and pulled out a round glass vial from one of the many pockets in his cape. Kenshin gave it a curious glance. A smooth, luminescent yellow liquid flowed inside.

"It's yellow phosphorous." Hiko explained. "I got it from a shinobi. Don't ask me how." With that he threw the vial into the cave.

Kenshin heard the sound of glass shattering and liquid spilling. Then suddenly a large fire sprung up in the middle of the cave. Kenshin stepped back, surprised. Then a loud racket arose from somewhere above him, inside the cave.

"Make sure you don't let a single one escape." said Hiko, taking a few steps to the side.

_There's more than one?_

Then suddenly Kenshin remembered what the noise was. It was...

"BATS!" The cry had barely left his lips when he found himself engulfed by hundreds of furry, black, leathery bats flying out of the cave entrance in a swarm.

"Pathetic, baka deshi!"

Kenshin awoke to see Hiko standing over him with a mingled look of anger, disappointment and relief on his face.

Hiko helped him up. "Not only did you not get a single one, but you also shredded your clothes, cut yourself and worst of all..." Hiko shook his head in annoyance. "What an embarrassing baka deshi."

At this, Kenshin noticed three new things about himself.

Firstly, his clothes were torn in many places where they had caught the bats' fangs and claws, and the cold wind was starting to affect him through the many holes.

Secondly, his arms were covered by small scratches and bite marks that were bleeding and stung in the cold weather. He held up a hand to his face and found that his cheeks were also stinging.

Thirdly, he had soiled his hakama, and the freezing urine was causing a certain appendage to go numb with the cold.

"EEEYYYIIII! My-my-my-"

As he watched his baka deshi running around in a panic, rubbing the middle of his hakama and trying to prevent his manhoo-well, boyhood from falling off from frostbite, Hiko pulled out the extra large jug of sake he had brought and took a swig. A warm feeling coursed through his veins, countering the bitter cold. He needed it. "Looks like I won't be going back anytime soon."

"It's not fair! You should have told me what was inside!" Yelled Kenshin, some of the impact dissipated by his teeth chattering.

"Courage in the face of the unknown is a vital asset for a swordsman." Hiko replied calmly, taking another swig of sake. "Often you will enter a battlefield not knowing who the enemy is."

They were huddled around a campfire. Kenshin was wrapped in their only spare cloak.(Hiko had refused to lend him his cloak and scarf lest they be contaminated by contact with his Hakama.)

His wounds were bandaged. Although quite minor, in the freezing weather they could easily get infected or result in frostbite. Hiko had washed them with sake first. Kenshin fainted again from the pain, and when he woke up it was compounded by the knowledge that Hiko was more troubled over the lost sake than his only pupil's health.

"But I've always been afraid of bats!" Kenshin shot back. "You knew that! How could you still make me go through this?"

"The same way I always do." Hiko replied curtly. "Listen, baka deshi! It's your own fault for not mastering the leaf cutting exercise. Now if you expect me to train you any further you've got no choice but to go through this. Face your fears. You'll have to eventually."

Kenshin buried his face in the worn cloak, too cold and too miserable to argue.

A little while later they made their way to another cave. Kenshin relucatinly positioned himself outside the entrance. "Just maintain your concentration." Hiko adviced. "This is actually easier than the leaf cutting exercise, since the targets are larger and come from only one side."

"But unlike the leaves, these targets screech and bite." Kenshin muttered darkly.

"Cheer up. You know, those bats are more scared of you than you are of them." Hiko ruffled through his cape pockets. "This isn't much different from hunting rabbits and wolves."

"Really?" Kenshin raised his sword in the middle stance.

"Oh, by the way, this cave is inhabited by _vampire _bats." Hiko grinned nastily. "Their teeth will be sharper, and if even one of them gets you on the neck, you're done for."

"That's a great way to raise my morale, Shishou." Kenshin's voice was lined with sarcasm.

"Just trying to motivate you." Hiko threw the second vial of phosphorous into the cave. Then he shoved Kenshin forward and rapidly retreated to the side.

Kenshin gulped and braced himself. _Just think of them as rabbits. Black flying rabbits....Gah! What am I thinking?!_

The familiar noise rose again and Kenshin felt hundreds of bats approaching him. This time he was ready.

"Hyaaaaah!" His sword twirled and swung all around him in a series of katas. He could feel the blade cutting through fur and flesh, hear the sound of dead bats falling to the ground, smell their blood spilling from their bodies. But he continued, lost in the technique.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kenshin stopped swinging. He looked down at himself. He couldn't see any new bite marks on his arms, yet clothes were drenched in blood. Around his feet were littered hundreds of bat carcasses. He had killed all of them.

"_Almost_ all of them." Hiko corrected, guessing his thoughts. "Three escaped. But it was goo-I mean it was a start." He moved towards the boy, who was standing there, motionless. "Are you hurt, Kenshin?"

Kenshin stared at the outstretched blade of his sword. It was covered in blood. Had he done all this? For some reason he felt no pride in his achievement. "Those bats..." he started, speaking more to himself than his Shishou. "They weren't attacking us. They hadn't done us any harm. But I killed them. I killed them all."

Hiko sighed with displeasure. His baka deshi was just too soft. "And what about the rabbits we killed for breakfast? And the fish we caught for last night's dinner? And the insects that die every day, crushed under our feet without us ever knowing it? Baka deshi, if you have to feel sorry for every living creature that ever died under the sun and moon you'd be better off as a monk than a swordsman."

Kenshin didn't bother to point out that _he_ was the one who had caught the fish and the rabbits. "Wasn't there any other way to do this, Shishou?"

"Sure there is." said Hiko irritably. "We could wait till next fall and continue the leaf cutting exercise(which we will anyway, just for practice). But in the long term, it would delay your mastery of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū. And the longer that takes, the more _people_ would die, slaughtered by bandits and soldiers with no one to protect them." Hiko paused, shook his sake bottle upside down and cursed loudly. _Not even a drop._

"Let's go, baka deshi. If you want to freeze to death you're welcome, but I'm going back to the warmth of the cabin."

As Kenshin followed after his master, he looked back at the cave one last time, and he saw that the snow around the entrance was red, drenched with blood. He felt an odd sense of foreboding, as if it were a scene he would see again.

XXXXXXXX

"Clumsy, baka deshi!"

For what seemed to be the millionth time, Kenshin fell flat over the ice.

That year, the winter had been so severe that the surface of the mountain lake had frozen. The icy surface was thick enough to hold the weight of grown men, and for Kenshin and his master sparring on it had become a daily routine.

Hiko claimed, as he did before with the waterfall, that practising on the ice was an excellent way for Kenshin to refine his agility and sense of balance. Kenshin suspected, like before, that it was more due to his master's hobby of humiliating him. His backside ached perpetually from constant contact with the hard ice. These days he was having difficulty sitting.

"Get up." Hiko's glowing eyes contrasted the smirk on his face.

Kenshin scowled at his master. _No doubt about it. He's really enjoying this._

Suddenly a loud growl rang through the air. Both of them stared at the source at the sound, surprised. It was Kenshin's stomach.

"Shishou, can we stop for lunch, please?" Kenshin asked sweetly, his eyes brimming with innocence.

Hiko sighed. Just when he was really absorbed in tortu-err-training Kenshin...

"I suppose so. Though it's not even noon yet..." He could go on for another couple of hours, but if he made his baka deshi miss meals the boy would never grow up into a normal sized adult. And it would be embarrasing to pass on the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū to a man who barely reached his waist.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hiko glared at Kenshin, who was squatting on the ice. "Make lunch!"

Kenshin picked himself up, grumbling. _Figures. Just when I though I had a reprieve..._

He cut a hole in the thinner ice at the northern part of the lake, caught a large fish and set about preparing it for cooking while his Shishou relaxed on a rock on the shore, sipping sake from his jug and occasionally admiring his reflection in his vanity mirror(_Where does he keep that_?).

"Hey! Don't do that near me. It smells." Hiko exclaimed, seeing Kenshin perform the dirty job of cleaning and scaling the fish before his eyes.

Kenshin carried the fish away to another location and resumed his work, fuming all the while.

_Shishou's so mean to me. I'm going to teach him a lesson today._

Then he had an idea.

"What are you so happy about?" Hiko felt oddly perturbed by the grin on Kenshin's face as they ate.

"Nothing, Shishou. It's just that the fish tastes really good today. Honest!" Kenshin continued grinning.

After they finished and Kenshin washed the dishes in cold water, Hiko stood up. "All right. Now let's work that off. To the lake!" He swished his cape behind him for dramatic effect.

They resumed their sparring. This time Kenshin seemed to be filled with renewed vigour. He darted sideways and altered his position such that the winter sun shone behind him, forcing Hiko to squint at him. Then, unable to match his Shishou's speed or strength, he decided to turn his short stature into an advantage and aimed a flurry of blows underneath Hiko's sword, at his legs, stomach and...groin.

Hiko stepped back and parried them uneasily. _What's gotten into him? He seems different this time. _He felt like punishing the baka deshi for his audacity, but remembered that he was the one who had lectured Kenshin on exploiting an opponent's weak points about a week ago...after kicking him in the crotch for the third time.

Such was the fury of Kenshin's onslaught that Hiko found himself retreating from his deshi's offense even as he blocked or dodged every blow. He suddenly realised that Kenshin was slowly pushing him towards the northern side of the lake. Where the ice was thinner. Damn.

CRACK.

Hiko could end it with a Ryu Kan Sen or a Ryu Tsui Sen, but he didn't want to give Kenshin another concussion or break any of his limbs, even if it were a fitting punishment for trying to drown his Shishou. That would make him useless for weeks, and who'd be stuck taking care of him and doing all the chores in the meanwhile? He dodged another savage swing, taking another step backward.

CRRAAAAAACK!

Suddenly, the ice beneath Hiko's feet collapsed and the 13th master of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū plunged into the lake.

"Yay!" Kenshin had done it. He'd taught his _master _a lesson, and he'd also beaten him in a fight. For the first time. When all was said and done, Hiko would probably kill him for this, but still...

Kenshin's look of jubilation turned to one of shock and concern when several seconds passed without his master surfacing. _But Shishou is a good swimmer...Oh no...What have I done?_

He peered over the edge of the newly formed gap in the ice. If his Shishou really was drowning he'd have to jump inside. That would be miserable. Then a huge hand shot out of the water and grabbed him by the hair.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH! A ghost! I'm sorry, Shish-" Ignoring Kenshin's hysterical yelling, the hand pulled him into the freezing water.

**"Achoo!"**

Master and pupil took turns sneezing as they sat on opposite sides of the fire, hugging themselves for warmth.

"To think I actually felt guilty about it. And I was ready to jump in after you, too!" Kenshin moaned, desperately trying to warm himself in the absence of any dry clothes.

"Then be happy! You did." Hiko snapped in return. "Impudent baka deshi! Wait till I give you your punishment!" The spare cloak that had formerly been on Kenshin's shoulders was now wrapped over his own. He held bot cloaks tighter.

Kenshin sighed, then sneezed again. Then he remembered something.

"Shishou," he said softly, a grin forming on his face. "Weren't you the one who said that a swordsman should always watch his surroundings and take advantage of them?"

Hiko gave him a withering glare. He couldn't deny that.

"That's just what I did." Kenshin contined, his smile widening. "And I beat you, too! That I did!"

"Don't be stupid!" Hiko shot back, his face reddening despite the cold. "You just got lucky, that's all..."

But Kenshin wasn't listening. He was lost in the moment, savouring his victory with his eyes closed.

"Kenshin."

"Yes, Shishou?"

Hiko's eyes narrowed threateningly. "If you _ever _breathe a word of this to anyone I'll have you you swimming a hundred laps _under_ the lake every day. For endurance training." The look on his face was dead serious. He would really do it.

After that, Kenshin's training became even harder.

Whenever he tried to escape Hiko's beatings by moving to the thinner section of the ice(which was too heavy for Hiko) his Shishou would respond by using the Dou Ryu Sen(a technique he said he wouldn't teach Kenshin for another two years) to dissolve the ice underneath his feet from a distance(_How did he do that?_).

And sometimes, he would use it even if Kenshin tried no such tricks. His excuse was "It'll improve your resistance to the cold."

On the contrary, it left Kenshin nursing a perpetual cold. It was a miserable winter.

XXXXXXXX

Omake:

The creature awoke with a start. It's first reaction was annoyance. It had been enjoying a pleasant dream about being surrounded by nuts, honey and females. Then it recalled that it had been hibernating inside a cosy cave.

_Who dares disturb my slumber?_

He recognised the racket as the sound of those damned bats he'd been unable to get off his roof, being out of his reach. At least they were polite enough not to try and suck his blood while he slept. _But they've never been this noisy before._

Then his eyes hurt when he realised there was a bright light in the middle of his cave. _Fire?_ But it quickly died down into nothing.

Now the creature was confused. He made his way to the cave exit to see a dreadful mess. _Looks like somebody else took care of my problem for me._

He went outside, curious to meet his unwanted guests. And saw two humans walking away in the distance. One was rather large, about half the creature's size, and the other was just a little waif, barely reaching up to its parent's waist.

_Well, if they don't want me to thank them, that's fine. This is none of my buisness._

And the Yeti scratched his furry head and headed back into his cave to catch up on his winter sleep.

Little did the two Hiten Mitsurugi swordsmen know that afternoon that they had narrowly missed making one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind.

* * *

Author's note: Okay, the ice training scene was obviously inspired by Batman Begins. That scene with the bats, however, was not, even though it has obvious parallels to the movie with Kenshin having (in this story) a childhood fear of bats and all.


	8. Hidden Mushroomi

**

* * *

**

**Chapter VIII: Hidden Mushroomi**

* * *

"SOU RYU SEN - IKAZUCHI!"

"RYU KAN SEN!"

The battle-cries of the two combatants rang out as they darted towards each other each other at superhuman speed.

At the last second, Kenshin channelled his momentum into a diagonal leap. He did not entirely succeed in avoiding the larger man's swing, however; and it nicked him in the chest, affecting his balance. It took him a moment to steady his landing, and because of that monetary lapse his counterattack, aimed at the back of his opponent's head, failed.

Hiko's right arm shot out in a backhand, his forearm connecting with his pupil's wrist and stopping his blow. Then he turned on his heel and thrust the sheathed blade in his left hand hilt-first into Kenshin's lower back.

With a pained cry, Kenshin collapsed on his knees.

"That was the worst counterattack I've ever seen, baka deshi." said Hiko, towering above his fallen pupil, his eyes narrowed in disapproval.

"I'm sorry, Shishou." answered Kenshin, who was more concerned about the pain in his back than his master's criticism.

"Sorry won't fix anything! You leaped too late, and allowed your opponent's weapon to catch you in the chest! The _chest, _damn it! If my nihontō wasn't sheathed you could have died!" Hiko leaned his mighty weapon against his shoulder.

"The blow only nicked my chest. It wouldn't even have been deep enough to strike bone! It was only a flesh wound." Kenshin complained.

Hiko's eye twitched. "Baka deshi! Have I taught you nothing? There is _no such thing _as 'only a flesh wound'! Even if a blow misses your vital organs, simply nicking a large blood vessel can lead to your death. And if it severs a muscle, tendon or ligament it can end your life as a swordsman, which is almost as bad. There is simply no safe place to get hit. That's one of Hiten Mitsurugi's wise sayings: _The best way to avoid getting hurt seriously is to avoid getting hurt in the first place._"

'Well, that explains why Shishou hardly even lets me touch him when we fight.' Kenshin thought idly.

"Knowing how to dodge and counter any opponent is essential to a practitioner of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū." Hiko declared sternly. "Till you pull off a successful Ryu Kan Sen against me, you won't get any meals." He walked away leaving his student lying in the dirt.

Kenshin groaned as he slowly rose. He rubbed the area in his back where Hiko hit him. "He wasn't holding back any of his strength, was he?"

Even though it had been two years since his training started, and he had made an unbelievable amount of progress, Hiko was still as harsh on him as ever.

To make things worse, his stomach picked that exact moment to rumble. _So that's why Shishou told me to skip breakfast today._

"Oh, well." As he had done so countless times, Kenshin picked himself up again and resumed practising. "I won't give up!" he exclaimed confidently.

XXXXXXXX

"I give up!"

An exasperated Kenshin lay sprawled on the ground for the twelfth time. This time he didn't bother getting up.

"Doing that won't do you any good, baka deshi." Said Hiko looking down at his pupil over a cup of sake from his position on the rock.

"Shishou, I'm staaarving!" He moaned. Maybe if his master was in a good mood today he'd take pity on him.

"Too bad." Hiko took another sip._ Or not. _"If you don't like it go back and resume your training!"

Kenshin returned to the clearing where he had been practising for the past seven hours. His tired arms dangled limply at his sides. His stomach was growling so loudly that he couldn't bring himself to think about anything but food, and his body ached all over from the many bruises it had accumulated from Hiko's sword. Right now, training was the farthest thing from his mind.

He briefly wondered whether to go to the village and stay at one of his friends' places for supper. The temptation was overwhelming, but Kenshin doubted whether he could make the journey over the mountain on an empty stomach. Even if he didn't faint from hunger along the way, everyone would have finished supper and gone to bed by the time he got there.

_No choice. I'll just have to find my own food._

Kenshin headed into the forest, determined to find something that would fill his stomach. _Wild roots, nuts, maybe a few rabbits, even wolves would be fine..._He had forgotten that he had nothing to clean and cook them with, but in his current state he would probably wouldn't mind eating raw meat and unwashed vegetables.

XXXXXXXX

The crescent moon shone brightly in the night sky. In the night, the forest was a dangerous place to be, home to many predators. This particular night, the smaller animals avoided a particular corner of the forest. For many hours, a loud growling noise echoed through this region. On closer inspection, it would seem that this noise was accompanied by a much smaller, squeakier sound. A predator and it's prey, perhaps?

"I'm...so...hunggrrryy..." Kenshin moaned meekly, unable to hear himself over the rumble of his stomach. He was lying on his back on the forest floor, too tired and too hungry to move. Or even sleep.

For whatever reason, he couldn't find a single animal in the forest, wherever he looked. It was as if they had been scared away by some scary noise. And there were no roots or nuts growing at this time of year. He hadn't eaten for a full day, and he needed nourishment if he was to live to become a Hiten Mitsurugi swordsman.

Purple spots danced before his eyes. _Now I'm hallucinating..._

Then Kenshin noticed that those purple spots weren't really dancing but fixed on one corner of his vision. A closer inspection revealed that they were not merely spots but...

"Mushrooms!" Yes, this narrator was about to get to that. A clump of fat, purple mushrooms growing at the base of a beech tree. Kenshin eyed them greedily. _Finally, something edible._

Or were they edible? Kenshin remembered Hiko explaining the different kinds of wild mushrooms that grew throughout Japan during one of his many lectures on surviving in the wild. Some were quite harmless and could be eaten as food, some were edible but had unfortunate side effects, while others were downright toxic and could be lethal to the one who ate it.

Unfortunately for Kenshin, he couldn't recall the rest of that lecture. He never had much of a head for detailed explanations. That was one of the reasons his master often called him 'baka deshi'. _I'm not an idiot! It's just that I like learning with my body, not my mind. _Although that thought didn't provide him much comfort right now.

Kenshin's stomach growled so loudly his head ached from the noise. He thought he could hear it whimpering. _Feed me...feed me..._

_Oh well, better to die of food poisoning than to die of starvation. _With that, Kenshin popped a mushroom into his mouth. His last supper...

To his surprise the mushroom tasted_ sweet. _He gobbled up some more. _I should take some of these home...of course I'll have to hide them from Shishou._

XXXXXXXX

Hiko Seijuro XIII was in a bad mood.

Kenshin had not come home this evening. Normally Hiko wouldn't have cared either way(except for his annoyance at having to cook dinner himself) but today he felt strangely concerned about his student's well-being. After all he had sent him off to train all day long (except for brief sparring sessions where he beat him up) without a single meal. He felt that being deprived of food would be an excellent motivator for the scrawny boy. In any case at the rate at which he grew, one day's worth of meals wouldn't make much of a difference. He'd still be a dwarf.

Well, perhaps Hiko _was_ a little too hard on him. The boy had all but mastered the Ryu Kan Sen, just as he did with every other technique Hiko had taught him(_All thanks to my great skill as a teacher_.). But technique wasn't everything. In the future, Kenshin would fight many opponents that were larger and stronger than him.('In fact, it's likely every opponent he ever meets would fall in that category.' said a pessimistic voice in his head.) He needed to be able to successfully perform the technique against someone like Hiko before he mastered its use in combat. Though another voice in his head, this one sounding optimistic, told him that Kenshin was already skilled enough to be able to use the technique against nearly anyone that wasn't Hiko.

In any case here he was, looking for his baka deshi in the forest under the moonlight(and it wasn't even a _full_ moon) at a time when he should be having supper and sake in the warmth and comfort of his cosy little cottage...well, shack.

_I'll be sure to give him a real tongue-lashing when I find him. _Then Hiko sensed a familiar ki in the distance. It felt strangely disoriented, but it was definitely Kenshin's. As he went closer he noted, with some irritation, the sound of laughter. _What's he so happy about when__ I've been this worried?_

Hiko made his way to the location to find Kenshin repeatedly whacking his sword against a beech tree. Without drawing it from its wooden sheath. And laughing hysterically all the while.

"Bwahahaha! Bad Shishou! You're so cruel to me!" He giggled in a voice that was even squeakier than normal. He gave the thick trunk another whack. The already battered sheath chipped a little more. "Beg for mercy! And make me the new Shishou! Heeheehoo!"

Hiko observed his antics with a mixture of rage and apprehension. His pupil appeared to be mocking him in some fashion. On the other hand he had never seen Kenshin behave like this, and his squeaky voice and bad posture told him that something was not quite normal about him.

He drew in a breath, about to call his pupil, when Kenshin turned around. "Ah, Shishou! Welcome home! Hee hee! Wait an hour..." his glance shifted between Hiko and the tree trunk and a confused expression appeared on his face. "Shishou is here and Shishou is there...two Shishous? Ah! Shishou multiplied! Like rabbits! Shishou's a rabbit!" He cackled at the thought.

Hiko's eyes narrowed in concern. Something was not right with his pupil. "Kenshin...did you drink something strange today?" _Maybe he found my secret sake stash in the shed..._

Kenshin's eyes narrowed, making his expression seem even funnier. "I ain't drunk nothing but water!" he yelled. "And I ate nothing either! All becuz of you! Bad Shishou! Ha ha!" Then he raised his sword in a haphazard stance and rushed towards Hiko, laughing all the while.

Instinctively, Hiko's right arm shot out in a rapid fast battojutsu with his sheathed nihontō.

Before he could suppress his reflex, Kenshin leaped to the side and parried Hiko's attack with his own. Then moving in a way Hiko wouldn't have considered the human body capable of moving, Kenshin changed direction in mid air and delivered a blow to the back of Hiko's skull.

"RYU! KON! ZAN!" He yelled gleefully. "Hurray! I beat Shishou! Now I'm the new master of Hidden Mushroomi! Bwahahaa!" He guffawed, dancing haphazardly behind Hiko and waving his sword in a way that would have resulted in him tragically decapitating himself had it been out of its sheath.

Hiko rubbed the newly formed bump on the back of his head and stared at Kenshin in surprise. While his mind wasn't exactly on fighting Kenshin, never in a thousand years did he expect his baka deshi to land a successful blow on his _head _while in a drugged state. _Drugged? And he said something about mushrooms..._

Hiko grabbed Kenshin by the neck of his gi. "Kenshin! Listen to me! Did you eat something just now? Tell me!" He asked sternly, shaking his baka deshi to drive his question through.

"Oro? I feel dizzy!" Kenshin's eyes became swirly. "Mushrooms, mushrooms...but I'm not giving you any, Shishou! They're mine, I tell you! My _preciousss_." He crooned, in a voice so creepy that Hiko felt a slight shiver. Then he laughed so loudly that he started choking.

Hiko cursed. He dropped his pupil(gently) and looked around desperately for any sign of mushrooms. It wouldn't be easy in the dark. Then noticed a few purple caps on the ground six feet away. He picked one, examined it closely and took a sniff.

He cursed again, more loudly this time, and threw away the offending mushroom. _That's just like my baka deshi. Of all the varieties of mushrooms growing in this forest he had to pick the worst possible choice. These aren't even mushrooms. They're toadstools!_

Toadstools looked identical to mushrooms in many ways but differed from them in the notable property of being all poisonous. The severity of the effects varied from one variety to another. The ones Kenshin had consumed were among the milder ones, responsible for inducing hallucinations and hysterical laughter. But when consumed in large quantities they could be lethal. Especially to a small child.

"I don't feel so good, Shishou..." Hiko turned around to see Kenshin doubled over in pain. He coughed and sputtered, and Hiko could see flecks of blood falling from his mouth.

His eyes widened with fear. Immediately, he scooped his pupil up into his arms and sped towards the cottage with all the fearsome Hiten Mitsurugi Godspeed that he could muster. The inhabitants of the forest that lay in his path could only see a blur moving past them and marvel at the deep footprints that it left in its wake.

They made it to the cottage in just over a minute. Hiko gently laid Kenshin, who was now sweating profusely, on his futon and ran outside to fetch water. His mind was filled with worry as he filled the bucket.

Hiko had a passable knowledge of first aid and medicinal herbs. After all, he didn't get by life as a wandering swordsman without at least a few injuries(but very few, mind you; he was Hiko Seijuro after all). And there was never a guarantee of finding a doctor within easy reach for tending to his wounds, considering he spent most of his life in the wilderness. This knowledge had served him well in patching up Kenshin's injuries after their sparring sessions(mostly cuts and bruises, but also broken bones in the rare occasions that his pupil turned out to be frailer than he judged him to be); and also in dealing with the occasional cold or fever.

However, he had next to no knowledge of poisons and antidotes. That was something a shinobi would specialise in. How was he going to cure his baka deshi now?

By the time he returned to the hut Kenshin's gi and hakama were completely drenched with sweat. After placing the water kettle over the fire, he quickly set about removing Kenshin's wet training clothes and getting him into a clean, dry yukata. He placed a hand over the boy's forehead. It was burning with fever.

"Shishou..." Kenshin's eyes opened. "Am I going to die?" he asked in a fearful tone.

"Of course not!" Hiko replied, stroking his head comfortingly. "Just be strong. I'll give you some medicine and you'll be fine by morning." He hurried over to the steaming kettle, not knowing what to do.

Taking Kenshin to the village was out of the question. The journey over the mountain would only worsen his condition, and even if they made it to their destination in time there was no guarantee that the village doctor would be available at this late hour. Or that he would have an antidote for a toadstool that grew on the other side of the mountain.

Hiko shook his head in frustration. At this rate he could soon find himself without an apprentice. Then he shuddered and banished the idea from his head. Somehow, he could not bear the thought of losing Kenshin.

Then he had an idea. He had once heard from a village housewife that making someone drink lots and lots of water was a good way of making them vomit out anything unpleasant that they had eaten.

He pulled open the medicine cabinet and rifled through the contents till he found what he was looking for. A pungent smelling herb that he used as a remedy for hangovers. When mixed with water, it smelled like piss and tasted similar. How did Hiko know about the taste of piss, you wonder? Use your imagination. Getting back to the herb, it would definitely make the boy retch.

Hiko poured the contents of the kettle into a large mug, crushed the herb and added the paste to the hot water. Then he hurried to Kenshin's side.

"Here. Drink up." Kenshin starred at the noxious drink with suspicion. "What's in it?" He asked cautiously, his voice fainter than usual. It smelled oddly familiar to him.

"It's a special all-purpose medicine I made for occasions like this." Hiko replied. He hated lying, but this was an occasion where the truth would do no good. "It strengthens the heart. Gives the body the strength to recover."

At this, Kenshin brightened and took the mug eagerly. Then pinching his nose with one hand, he gulped down the concoction.

Only to spit the hot fluid into Hiko's face. It tasted awful.

"What was that for, baka deshi!?" Hiko roared, his face burning. _I hope it didn't scald me...my handsome features marred by burn scars...the horror!_

"Sorry, Shishou." As Hiko examined his face in his vanity mirror for any boils and burn marks, Kenshin gazed down into the cup. _Shishou worked hard to make this medicine. Even if it tastes bad I have to drink it. Otherwise I could die. And I'll never be a swordsman..._

With these thoughts, he held the tip of the mug to his lips and gulped down the remainder of its contents.

"GAH!" It was the most horrible thing he'd ever tasted. Kenshin felt like gagging. Ignoring his weakness, he got up and ran outside, clutching his stomach with one hand and his mouth with the other..

Hiko followed his pupil outside and saw him doubled up on his knees and vomiting on the grass. Kenshin continued the action for several minutes, till his stomach was empty and there was nothing left to spill.

Hiko washed the boy's mouth and helped him back into the cabin. "Just rest. I'll make you dinner." He tucked him into his futon again.

Kenshin couldn't understand why his master was being so kind to him, but he was glad. He smiled happily and rested.

Kenshin was too weak and feverish to even eat dinner himself, so Hiko had to feed him. He had made chicken noodle soup: he didn't think the boy's stomach could handle solid food yet, and he had heard from another housewife that it was good for a sick person.

Finally, Hiko tucked Kenshin to sleep and after having his customary late night drink of sake, retired to his own futon. He had done what he could. It was all up to Kenshin now. If his heart was strong enough, he would overcome the residual effects of the poison.

In the middle of the night, Hiko woke up abruptly, feeling uneasy. Then he felt pain and anguish in Kenshin's ki and hurried over to his futon.

"Otou-san, okaa-san, onii-chan...don't leave me.." Kenshin's brow was covered in sweat. He was having a nightmare. "Kenshin! Wake up!" yelled Hiko. "Akane-neechan, Sakura-neechan, Kasumi-neechan...I'm sorry..." Hiko grabbed his shoulder forcefully. "Shinta! WAKE UP!"

At those words, Kenshin awoke with a start. "Shishou..." he gazed fearfully at his master's concerned face. "I saw bad things..." Then, to Hiko's surprise, Kenshin wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.

At that moment something warm stirred within Hiko. He couldn't quite place the feeling, but he wrapped his massive arms around Kenshin in turn and patted him on the head. "I suppose there's no harm in letting you sleep in my futon tonight." he sighed wearily.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning, Hiko awoke a little earlier than he would have liked, especially considering how little he had slept the previous night.

The reason for his premature awakening was the feeling of dampness in his clothes. His gi, hakama, even his prized cape felt wet. Hiko shot a nasty glare at the hole in the roof. _Damned rain. Must get the baka deshi to repair that leaky roof.  
_

Then he remembered that the season for rain had already passed. Then where did the dampness come from?

Then Hiko became conscious of a weight on his torso. A small figure stirred, its head leaning on his chest. Looking downwards, he noticed a mop of red hair. "Shishou..." A smiling Kenshin mumbled in his sleep.

That morning, a bloodcurdling scream rang throughout the cottage and its surroundings. It could be heard as far as the forest, where animals fled and birds flew from their perches on hearing it. The villagers who climbed the mountain in the early morning to gather herbs and firewood also heard it, reinforcing their diminishing belief in the legend of the haunted cottage.

XXXXXXXX

Kenshin sighed aloud as he scrubbed the huge white cape for the fourth time. It wasn't an easy task; it was so heavy that he couldn't lift it even with both hands. _How can cotton cloth weigh this much? It's like there's something heavy hidden in the folds...  
_

His gratitude at his Shishou for nursing him back to health was all but gone now. In fact, for the first time, he found himself wondering if he would have been better off if he had remained a slave. 'Well, if this swordsman thingy doesn't work out in the end, I could always become a washerman.' he thought idly. He was getting almost as good with laundry as he was with the sword, having years of experience in eliminating stubborn orange stains from his clothes and blankets.

"And if there's even a hint of orange or a whiff of that vile stench on my cape I'll give you a hiding!" Hiko yelled from the large wooden bucket that they called a bath. The bath water was heated by Kenshin, of course.

As Hiko scrubbed himself vigorously, trying to eliminate the lingering smell(_How could such a tiny boy hold so much urine?_), he finally remembered what the strange feeling that he had felt previous night was. It was something he hadn't felt since he left his parents. _The feeling of having a family._

Then he shuddered with memories of that morning and quickly suppressed the prior feeling.

"That is the _last _time I ever let a boy into my bed."

Then he called back. "Baka deshi! Next time we go to the village I'm getting you some diapers!"

Now it was Kenshin's turn to shudder. He tried to imagine the humiliation of practising kenjutsu while wearing a cloth diaper instead of a hakama. And knowing Hiko he might make Kenshin wear it even on trips to the village. What would his friends think? _'Are you really eleven years old!?'_ he imagined Toshida guffawing. _And Himiko..._He shuddered again.

Luckily for Kenshin, he stopped wetting his bed soon after that.

* * *

Otou-san: Father

Okaa-san: Mother

Onii-chan: Big brother

'nee-chan: Big sister

Author's note: One of the earliest scenes I pictured for this fic was that of Hiko comforting Kenshin in his sleep and waking up to find that Kenshin had wet both their clothes. I decided to combine it with the mushrooms incident. I realise some of the Hiko humour lines came off reading awkwardly. Don't forget to review, please.

PS: The idea of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū having a philosophy of not letting your opponents injure you at all came to me from the fact that as during his Battousai days it was considered a great achievement for average swordsmen like Kiyosato to so much as touch Kenshin in a fight.

PPS: Those who've read/watched Naruto will know that the line 'I like learning with my body, not my mind.' is derived from Kakashi's similar explanation of Naruto's talents.

Next chapter: Kenshin reminiscenses on his training so far.


	9. Battojutsus and memories

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**Chapter IX: Battojutsus and fond memories  
**

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Kenshin stared at the withered tree, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He was crouched in the familiar battojutsu stance, his hand hovering above the hilt of his sword.

"SOU RYU SEN!"

It was over in one fleeting moment. His blade sliced cleanly through the four foot thick trunk, the only sign of his action being the thin dark ring newly formed around it. In his left hand, his saya followed in its wake, toppling over the severed tree.

Kenshin smirked in satisfaction as he admired the clean cut on the stump. He was getting very good at this. Although the Ryu Tsui Sen was still his favourite technique, the battojutsu was what he did best. He had mastered nearly all the stances and variations, including the Ikazuchi variant that used the saya as the lead and the slower but non-lethal reverse-edged battojutsu.

_Though it wasn't always like that. It's been a long road._

He prepared to re-sheathe his sword and frowned briefly at the nick along its edge. He chose a round, smooth rock and sat down in a relaxed manner. Casually, he pulled out a small whetstone from his pocket and started running it along the nicked edge of his blade.

His master had given him the whole day to practice on his own. These days he gave Kenshin a lot more freedom in such matters. Kenshin liked to believe it was because there was a lot less left to teach him. His thirteenth birthday was coming up in a few weeks.

_Has it really been four years? Time went by so fast..._

He continued sharpening his sword unconsciously, lost in reminiscence as he recalled fond memories of his training under his Shishou. Well, not all of them were that fond...

_"And that," Hiko declared. "is a battojutsu."_

_Kenshin blinked. He barely saw his Shishou move. Hiko had drawn his sword, cut down the wooden training post and sheathed it all in one smooth, sudden movement._

_"More commonly known as Iai-jutsu," Hiko continued. "by whipping the sword out of the saya, you can increase the speed and power of your swing twice or thrice fold. This allows you to kill in a single blow without giving your opponent the chance to attack. It's the fastest technique of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ry__ū__." He paused. "Well, the fastest non-godspeed technique, anyway."_

_He then walked over to the old pine tree north of the cottage, beckoning Kenshin to follow him. When they got there, he continued "The standard battojutsu has a fatal flaw; since it kills in one blow, if it misses the target it leaves the user open to a counter-attack. That's why all the Hiten Mitsurugi battojutsus are two-step techniques."_

_Then he whipped out his __nihontō__ and swung it across the thick trunk before Kenshin had time to blink. The tree remained motionless, and for a moment Kenshin wondered if the blow had failed, then with an exclamation Hiko swung his saya into the upper portion, knocking down the tree with a loud crash._

_Hiko re-sheathed his sword with a look of satisfaction. "That," he said triumphantly, "is the Hiten Mitsurugi second-level battojutsu, Sou Ryu Sen. The saya follows up the blade and deals with any opponent who tries to take advantage of the opening." He smirked at Kenshin's awestruck face. "Practice it till you can do it just as easily." Then he paused. "Never mind, you'll never be able to do it as well as me, anyway." He flicked his shining dark hair vainly. One of the angry birds that were circling the fallen tree picked this moment to drop something on his head that caused his hair to be no longer as dark or as shiny._

_Kenshin tried to recall what he had just seen as he watched his Shishou chasing after the fleeing bird __yelling words not meant for a child's ears__. Never mind that as a swordsman he had no way of harming it from the ground even if he caught up to it. Short of a Hi Ryu Sen, but even that would only work at short range.  
_

Kenshin snickered. _Good thing I chose a leafless tree without any nests for practice. _

He remembered the difficulty of his early attempts at battojutsu. During one of his first tries his swing was so weak that the blade bounced right off the training post and struck him squarely in the face, breaking his nose. Hiko had loudly guffawed at its bent and bloodied appearance, and had pinched and straightened it in a most painful fashion. _Shishou never lost a chance to remind me about that. _

He recalled another memorable incident where he mustered enough strength to drive his sword halfway through the training post, but not enough to bring it out at the other side. As a result his katana was wedged into the post, and Hiko had refused to help him pull it out. He spent the next few days practising kenjutsu with only his saya(a hilarious sight), till he mustered the strength to retrieve his katana on his own.

Then there was the time when he applied too much force with the second swing and shattered his saya into pieces. Hiko whacked him with his own saya to punish him for his lack of care for his equipment, and till they got a new one made Kenshin had to sharpen and oil his sword vigorously to compensate the fact that the blade was exposed to the elements.

And when he had finally managed a successful Sou Ryu Sen and demonstrated it before Hiko, the Hiten Mitsurugi master proceeded to demolish his pride by picking apart the tiniest flaws in his technique, then followed it up by demonstrating 'how it was done properly' on poor Kenshin.

Kenshin rubbed his cheek, wincing painfully at the memory. He had dodged Hiko's blade, but the saya knocked out several of his teeth. _Good thing they've all grown back. I'd hate it if I couldn't chew solid food and spoke with a slur all the time..._

Suddenly he felt a flare of ki approaching behind him. He sprang up and turned around, grabbing the hilt of his sword. He sighed in relief when he saw that it was only an eagle flying overhead. He was half-expecting a Ryu Tsui Sen from the sky.

These days Hiko had developed a nasty habit of launching surprise attacks on him at random in order to 'test his swordsman's intuition'. The bumps and bruises Kenshin had accumulated from the early attempts had taught him to always be on his guard.

That reminded him...the training that he went through in order to develop the ability to read sword-ki had to be the most bizarre.

_"A Hiten Mitsurugi swordsman must not only master the use of all five senses but also learn to develop his sixth sense." Hiko began. "This sixth sense is a swordsman's intuition. It is rooted in our natural instincts, which are similar to that of animals. A swordsman's intuition has three elements."_

_"The first is the ability to read and predict movements, both yours and your opponents, and act accordingly. It is this ability that enables a master swordsman to block a strike from the corner of his eyesight, or to gauge the reach and path of his sword or the force of his strikes. This ability is developed through __practice. It is integral to the use of the Hiten Mitsurugi Godspeed. As such you already posess it in good measure." He nodded at Kenshin before continuing._

_"The second is the ability to read sword-ki. Now this is not an ability many swordsmen possess. Though all living creatures can at least __feel strong ki to some extent, reading an opponent's ki is wholly different. Through it you can analyse and predict your opponent's mood, his emotions, his acti-" Kenshin raised his hand. "Yes?"_

_"Shishou, what is 'khee'?"_

_Hiko almost fell over. He caught himself just in time and glared at his foolish pupil. "It's 'ki', not 'khee', baka deshi." He composed himself. "Ki is... it's the life energy that flows through all living beings."_

_"You mean blood?"_

_A vein popped in Hiko's forehead. "Don't interrupt me. No, it's not blood. You can't__ see ki. Or hear it, smell it, taste it or touch it. But you can __sense it."_

_"How can you sense something you can't sense with your sense organs?" Kenshin asked curiously._

_'Good question. Now he's starting to make **me** confused.'_

_Hiko rubbed his forehead in frustration. He needed some sake. He went over to the sake jar, poured himself a cup, downed it in one gulp and continued._

_"That's why it's called your sixth sense, baka deshi. Now a swordsman's ki is usually different from that of the average person. Stronger. More disciplined. And it tends to change in battle, influenced by emotions and intent..."_

Kenshin's memory was hazy from that point. He never had much of a head for convoluted explanations. All he could remember was that for the next few months, Hiko forced him to spar with him with a blindfold over his eyes and wool stuffed in his ears so that he would learn to predict Hiko's actions by reading his ki. After countless cuts and bruises, his desire to survive his training helped him develop the ability.

_Those are some painful memories._

There was still one thing there that Hiko had _not_ taught him though.

_"The third element of a swordsman's intuition: ki intimidation. While the fluctuation of a swordsman's ki is normally guided by subconscious thoughts and emotions, it is possible for a master swordsman to be able to focus and manipulate his ki at will. By releasing your pent up reserves, you can cause your ki to flare up in the middle of a battle. You can also channel it through your sword. This last skill is necessary for performing the Dou Ryu Sen technique." To demonstrate, he unleashed the full force of his own sword-ki. Kenshin was paralysed with fear and shock, so much that he would have reverted to his old habit of wetting himself if he had drunk anything before the lecture._

_Hiko allowed himself another sake break while he waited for Kenshin to regain his bearings. When he had sufficently recovered Hiko continued. "That's where ki intimidation comes in. You can use it to affect your opponents' mood and lower their morale, make them lose focus. It can make a crucial difference in a heated battle. It can also be used to avoid fighting altogether. Fights have been won with ki alone." he finished, then added "The opposite of this would be to mask your ki entirely, so that it cannot be detected by others. That is a skill practiced by shinobi, who use it for tasks like spying and assasination. But a swordsman who fights in the open in defense of others has no need for such skills."_

'Meaning he didn't know it himself.' Kenshin idly reflected. He examined the blade in his hands. The edge was sharp as a razor again; sharpening it further would only weaken it. He slipped the whetstone back into his pocket and fondly admired the sharpened weapon.

At first glance, it looked shoddy; like the work of an amateur blacksmith. There was little ornamentation on either sheath or hilt. The former was made of coarse wood, poorly lacquered. But a closer examination revealed the skill and ingenuity that went into making it a practical, if ugly, weapon. The hilt was well-weighted, with extra wrappings to absorb sweat, and the sheath was made from a rare hardwood known for its toughness. Glancing through the opening itself, one could see a metal band running along its curved interior, protecting the wood from being scraped by the sharpened edge.

Speaking of the sword itself, though it was shorter than an actual katana, being only a training sword, it certainly felt like one in his hands. Hiko had taught Kenshin enough about swords to be able to tell the quality of one based on its weight and balance alone.

_I'll have to ask Shishou when I'm finally getting a real katana. Soon this one will be too short for me..._

He recalled the last time he had complained about needing a longer sword. Hiko had responded by demonstrating the basic sword breaking technique on his pupil's training katana. Sadly he had been a little overzealous in his demonstration, and ended up breaking not only the blade but also Kenshin's sword-arm.(_At least he flipped his nihontō__ at the last moment. Otherwise he'd have chopped it clean off._)

The village doctor had advised Kenshin not to practice kenjutsu for a month. But Hiko being Hiko was less sympathetic and decided that it was a good opportunity for him to learn the left-handed Hi Ryu Sen technique. The next few weeks were filled with Kenshin's desperate tries to successfully aim the Hi Ryu Sen(_What's the point of such a ridiculous technique anyway?_), interspersed with occasional demonstrations by Hiko that took advantage of Kenshin's inability to defend himself by aiming at choice targets all over his body.

Kenshin winced as various body parts throbbed in memory. Instinctively, his hand hovered protectively over his groin. _Maybe I should keep this sword for a little longer..._

Then he felt a another ki behind him, much larger than the previous one. He spun around, raising his sword for a Ryu Shou Sen, only to receive a savage blow on his shoulder from the flat of a nihontō.

"Too slow, baka deshi." said Hiko, unable to hide the glee in his voice or his ki. "I see you're slacking off and daydreaming again. Letting you practice on your own unsupervised was a mistake."

"Did you...want something from me, Shishou?" Kenshin asked through gritted teeth as he clutched his shoulder. _Apart from my good mood..._

"I decided to teach you something new." Hiko said simply. Then he sheathed his nihontō. "Draw your sword."

Kenshin complied despite his aching shoulder, his annoyance replaced by eagerness. _Maybe he's going to teach me that ki intimation thingy? That way I can get him back for scaring me that day. And I'll be able to learn the Dou Ryu Sen..._

To his surprise, Hiko tossed his sheathed sword to the side. "Attack me with your full strength." he commanded.

"What?" Kenshin couldn't believe what he was seeing. Why would Hiko drop his guard like this? Was he drunk(more than usual)? Nevertheless he drew his sword eagerly._ Oh well. Might as well take advantage of it. Now I can pay him back for my shoulder._

"You heard me." Hiko stood upright, arms to his sides, in a formless stance that Kenshin had never seen before. "This stance is called _Haisui no Jin_. It is meant to be used when a swordsman is on his last legs, for a final, desperate strike. It exhausts all his remaining strength, and if he fails he cannot recover in time to save his life. It is folly to use it in any other situation unless one has absolute confidence in his technique." Then he narrowed his eyes at Kenshin. "Use the front edge of your sword. No holding back."

The tone of his voice turned Kenshin's eagerness to shock. Was Hiko asking him to kill him? It was unthinkable. He hesitated. "Shishou-"

"If you still want to call me that, do it."

Kenshin closed his eyes and cleared his mind, suppressing all his emotions and inhibitions. When he opened them they were focused with killing intent.

He raised his sword and charged towards his master, ready for an overhead strike that would cleave him in half.

"Hyaaaaaaaa!"

In a split second, Hiko calmly clapped his palms together and caught the blade between them in mid-air.

Kenshin blinked in surprise. He had put all his strength into that blow. Then with both hands, Hiko wrenched his sword out of his grip and rammed it hilt-first into his throat.

"In all the 500 schools of kenjutsu there is only one known way to block a blade bare-handed." Hiko explained calmly, as his pupil fell to his knees, choking. "But it only works on certain strikes. And it requires perfect timing and razor-sharp reflexes. A failed sword catch can cost you both your hands, and likely your life as well." He looked down at his hands, both of which were bleeding. "And even with a successful catch, you'll still end up cutting your hands. Too deep and it'll sever the tendons, which is just as bad as losing them." He pulled out a roll of bandages from his cape pocket and carefully wrapped them around his palms.

"That's why you should never allow yourself to be separated from your sword. A swordsman's weapon is his soul. His _life_." Instead of returning Kenshin's sword he planted it into the ground. "Now it's your turn."

"You expect me to catch your sword on the first try?" Kenshin gasped, his throat still hurting.

"No. But you will eventually. Unless you enjoy being beaten up, of course." Hiko lifted his own sword from the ground and grinned maliciously, both his eyes and his ki resonating with glee once more. "Get ready. We'll be trying this with different types of attacks."

Before Kenshin could react his Shishou's nihontō landed on his good shoulder.

Fond memories indeed. In future years he would look back on these days and wonder how he was still alive. That is, if he was still alive._  
_

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Sou Ryu Sen - A technique that is very effective as a surprise attack. If a battojutsu misses the original target, it usually leaves the attacker very vulnerable. To counter opponents taking advantage of this opportunity, the _saya_(sheath/scabbard) follows up the battojutsu. The Sou Ryu Sen - Ikazuchi variant is essentially the same move, but it leads with the _saya_ instead of the sword. The sword is only drawn after the sheath clashes with the opponent's weapon. This move is effectively used as a distraction(trapping the opponent's sword) while the final blow is landing.

Hi Ryu Sen - Probably Hiten Mitsurugi's only ranged attack. This technique consists of launching the sword out of its scabbard hilt-first with the left hand. First the blade is drawn about an inch from the _saya_. The left hand is kept steady at the _saya_ while the user twists their hips to the right, using the centrifugal force to spring the sword out like an arrow using the thumb. It should only be used as a last-ditch surprise attack in the event that the user's right arm is unusable, since he is effectively throwing away his sword.

Author's note: Basically I imagined a number of short scenes for how Kenshin learnt various techniques and decided to combine them in a flashback chapter. By the way, the reason Hiko's overhead strikes aimed for Kenshin's shoulders instead of his head is because that, according to the manga, was a standard tactic of old style kenjutsu(since the skull bone is round and can deflect blows, especially from a blunt weapon). Read and review.

Next chapter: For the first time, Kenshin applies the Hiten Mitsurugi in a real fight. But it's not what you think.


	10. Friends and kisses

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**Chapter X: Friends and kisses**

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Kenshin whistled cheerfully as he made his way down the mountain path. His keen eyes and ears heartily took in the many sights and sounds of nature that surrounded him as he walked - streams gurgling, birds singing, insects chirping, squirrels squeaking as they all went about their usual routines.

These days, Hiko would usually send him on his own whenever they needed supplies from the village. Kenshin didn't particularly mind; the chore, though time-consuming, was in no way unpleasant. He could enjoy long, blissful walks through the mountainside, and when he got to the village, he was free to spend his time as he liked, playing with his friends. It wasn't that he resented his training, but he needed days like this to free him from the tiresome routine.

As he finally approached the familiar all-purpose shop at the outskirts, the old owner called out in greeting. "Kenshin! Good to see you again! How's your master?"

"He's doing well." Kenshin replied, waving his hand in greeting. _Better than me anyway._ Matsuhiro noticed that it was covered in bandages. "Your hands!"

Kenshin looked down at the source of his concern. "Just a couple of cuts. Don't worry, ojii-san." He privately sighed at the crimson stains on the cloth covering his palms.

_"Hya!"_

_Yet again, Kenshin neatly stopped Hiko's one-handed swing between his clapped palms._

_"Looks like I mastered the sword-catching technique, Shishou." said Kenshin, unable to suppress his grin. For once his master's blows were completely ineffective. And about time too. He didn't think he could survive another day of being beaten all over his body._

_"Yes, it certainly appears you did." Admitted Hiko. _

_BAM!  
_

_Then Kenshin felt Hiko's left fist grinding against his face in a forceful punch that lifted him off his feet and sent him landing on his backside.  
_

_"What the hell was that for?!" he wailed, cradling his swollen cheek. Just when he was feeling so jubilant..._

_"For getting overconfident and dropping your guard__." Hiko replied sternly. "Your opponent's sword isn't his only weapon, you know." Then he leaned his nihontō__ against his shoulder his face resumed its trademark smirk. "And don't you forget the fact that __I'm holding back my strength. If I attacked you with full force catching my sword would have broken both your hands."_

_"Yeah, sure." said Kenshin, rubbing his cheek. Far be it for him to actually expect praise from his master. 'He's probably just annoyed that he can't have fun beating up an unarmed child anymore.'_

_His hand also stung, and he looked down down painfully at the bruised surface of his palms. They were turning blue from all the punishment they had taken. "Can we just call it a day here, Shishou? My hands hurt." Seeing the unwillingness on his master's face he added sneakily "If I'm unable to hold a sword tomorrow it'll delay my training, right?"_

_Hiko sighed. It looked like he'd have to find another way to tortu-er-train his pupil. "Fine." Kenshin drew sighed in relief. Then he saw the familiar evil glint in Hiko's eyes. "But now that you seem to have mastered the technique, I think you're ready for a **real** test, baka deshi."_

_Just as he feared. His master was seeking one last opportunity to embarrass him. "W-what do you mean by a 'real' test, Shishou?" After all, Hiko had already spent the past few weeks beating him black and blue.  
_

_"This." Then Hiko flipped his sword, so that the sharp edge glinted at Kenshin. "This time your life depends on it, so you'd better catch it."_

_Kenshin eyed the evil glint(in his master's eyes and his sword) nervously. "B-but-"_

_"Now!"_

Kenshin sighed again. Guided by fear and his survival instincts, he had succeeded, but received two rather deep cuts on his palms in exchange. After scolding him for almost getting his tendons severed Hiko had stitched them up rather crudely and painfully(_'That'll leave quite a scar._' he thought sadly), and they still stung whenever he gripped something tightly; like his sword. Not that it excused him from training.

"Er-Kenshin? Are you listening? You look preoccupied with something."

Kenshin promptly snapped back to the present. Matsuhiro was eyeing him with concern. "Sorry, ojii-san. Just remembered something."

He shook his head in embarrassment. He had to stop this bad habit. He spaced out too frequently. _This is the reason Shishou catches me by surprise so often._

Matsuhiro looked at him strangely. "If you say so. Would you like to come in now? I have a special ointment that works wonders on deep cuts. It'll help it heal faster. Reduce the scarring too."

Kenshin shook his head gently. "Not now. I'll buy the supplies in the evening, ojii-san."

"As you wish. I suppose you're going to see my granddaughter then?" Matsuhiro asked shrewdly. "She's playing with her friends at Yukino's house. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you." He gave Kenshin a consiprational wink.

"Thanks, ojii-san." Kenshin was a little flustered by twinkle in Matsuhiro's eyes. Exactly what did he mean by all those hints he kept dropping about Himiko, anyway?

He hurried over to Yukino's house, seeing several shapes in the backyard. As he came closer he could hear angry voices.

"Give me back the ball!"

"Come and get it, shorty!"

_Oh no. Toshida._

From what he could see Toshida and his gang of troublemakers were bullying the other children and interrupting their game. Kenshin hastened his pace.

"Why do you keep picking on Kosuke? Leave him alone, Toshida!"

"I will if you go out with me, Himiko."

"I'd just as soon kiss a _pig_!"

"That can be arranged." He said savagely, then started advancing on her.

"Toshida," came an angry voice behind them. "Take your overgrown bullies and get out of here immediately."

Toshida and his companions turned around immediately. Kenshin was standing there, looking angrier than they had ever seen him before.

He composed himself. "Oh look, it's our wannabe swordsman from the mountains. Come here to play the hero again, _shrimp_?"

Kenshin was unmoved. "Toshida, I've had it with you strutting around and getting in everybody's way like you own the place."

"But I _do_ own the place." the older boy replied savagely. "My father's the village headman, remember? And he owns almost half the farms here."

"Your_ father _does. Even so that doesn't make you any better than anyone else."

Toshida scowled. "What business do you have poking about in my affairs, anyway? You're not even from the village. Go back to your cave with that drunken hermit!"

Kenshin rolled his eyes. Some of the villagers still believed that he and Hiko lived in a cave somewhere in the mountains. Hiko had told Kenshin to leave them to their misconceptions: that way they wouldn't have to worry about any unwanted visitors interrupting their training.

"Tell you what," he started, "Why don't we settle our scores right here, right now?" he asked, his eyes glinting.

Toshida stared at Kenshin uneasily. "What do you mean?"

Himiko stared at them wide-eyed. "No, Kenshin, don't get into a fight!"

"Don't worry, Himiko. Nobody will get hurt. I promise." he said, not looking at her. "Listen, Toshida. If I beat you and your three buddies to the ground, you'll apologise to everyone and stop teasing them from now on. If you beat _me _to the ground, I'll never return to this village ever again. How does that sound?"

"Kenshin!" Himiko's gave him a look of concern.

Toshida narrowed his eyes. "That's all fine and all. But you've got a sword and we're unarmed. That's not very fair, is it?"

Kenshin scowled. "Fine. If you're that scared, I won't even draw my sword from its sheath."

"Kenshin, don't be an idiot! They'll pulverise you!" At this point, Himiko was hysterical. The other children also muttered in concern.

"I accept." Toshida smirked. "Get him, Ryu!"

The largest boy in the group stepped forward. He rushed towards Kenshin with his arms outstretched, as if wanting to crush him between them.

Kenshin's response was to whip out his katana, sheath and all, and give him a hard poke in the solar plexus with the hilt. As he doubled over in pain, Kenshin swung the sheathed blade down over his broad back. He collapsed into the dirt with a thud.

"Hey!" Toshida yelled in outrage. "You promised-"

"That I wouldn't draw my sword." Kenshin grinned, leaning it against his shoulder. "Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū teaches the user to treat every part of the sword as a weapon. Blade, hilt, crossguard," his grin widened. "even the sheath."

"You tricked us!" yelled Toshida. "Get him!"

Then all three remaining boys charged towards Kenshin. He held his sword horizontally in the Shinken No Kamae stance. To his eyes, their movements seemed excruciatingly slow.

He sidestepped and tripped the first boy, tapped the second in the back of the neck, ducked under Toshida's punch and finally rammed him on the underside of his jaw with the sheathed tip of his sword.

He stood there, reflecting on his surprisingly easy victory as his opponents lay sprawled on the ground, groaning. Apart from the slight twinge in his palms from gripping the sword, he himself had suffered no injury. He wasn't even tired.

_So this is how it feels to use Hiten Mitsurugi against a normal person. _

It was completely different from sparring with Hiko._ Looks like I'm not anywhere near as weak as Shishou makes me look. _He heard several loud noises all around him and looked up to see his friends cheering him.

"Nice going, Kenshin!"

"You're the strongest!"

"Marry me, Kenshin!"

Kenshin blushed at the last compliment. Ignoring the cheers, he turned back to his fallen opponents. "Are you all right? I held back so I wouldn't break any bones..." He offered Toshida a hand.

After a few moments, Toshida grabbed the proffered hand and pulled himself up. "I lose." he said finally. Then he turned to the other children. "I'm sorry, guys. I'll never bully you again. I promise."

Then he turned back to Kenshin. To the latter's surprise, he was smiling.

"You really kicked our asses, Kenshin. We never had a chance. I take back what I said. You're one hell of a swordsman."

Kenshin shrugged. "It's nothing great. I wouldn't have beaten any of you if it was a fist fight."

Toshida held out his right hand. "Friends?"

Kenshin wasn't the only one there who doubted his ears. _What kind of trick is he playing now? Maybe he's trying to throw me off guard so he can punch me in the stomach..._

"It's a _gaijin _custom." he explained. "My father says that foreigners greet each other by shaking hands. It's a gesture of friendship. So how about it, Kenshin? Will you be my friend?"

Kenshin took his hand and shook it. "Why not? We're not enemies anymore, right?" Then he eyed Toshida suspiciously. "But if you want me to join you in bullying..."

"Hey, relax! I told you I won't do it anymore." said Toshida brightly. "Well, maybe a few harmless pranks..."

"Toshida!"

Then Kenshin was alerted by the pain in his hand to the fact that Toshida's grip was gradually tightening. _Pranks, eh? _He tightened his own grip. Toshida's eyes watered as he felt his hand being crushed. Kenshin smirked in satisfaction._ Serves him right for thinking he could beat a swordsman's grip.  
_

With that, they cheerfully resumed their fun and games, with Kenshin and his new friends joining in.

That evening, as everybody went home and Kenshin prepared to return to Matsuhiro's shop, he felt a familiar ki approaching him. "Himiko..." He wasn't sure what to say. "I'm sorry for worrying you..."

"There's no need to apologise." She glanced at his bandaged hands in concern. "Were you hurt?"

"It's nothing. It's an old injury." he assured her. Then she gently took his hands in her own. Kenshin felt a strange sense of comfort at the gesture and his hands stopped throbbing.

Himiko smiled brightly. "No one got hurt, just like you promised. And you turned Toshida from a bully to a friend. You helped us all." Her brown eyes were sparkling. "Kenshin, you're really cool."

Kenshin's face reddened. "Cool?"

"Yes, _cool_." Then Himiko surprised him by doing something he had only imagined in vague dreams long ago. She leaned on his shoulder, brought her head face close to his and gently pecked him on the cheek.

Kenshin's face turned even redder. "Himiko...!"

"See you later, Kenshin." If Kenshin could have see her face, he would have been comforted by the fact that it was as flushed as his own.

For a long time, he stood there in the dimming sunlight, pondering her actions._ Why'd she do that? _He touched the spot on his cheek where her lips met.

Eventually, he remembered that he still needed to bring the supplies home. He turned around and made his way to Matsuhiro's shop.

As he carried the goods back over the mountain, it occurred to him that he was going to be late and his master would probably pitch a fit when he got back. But he wasn't too concerned; the day's events had put him in an exceptionally good mood. He continued down the mountain, lost in fond memories. _Himiko-chan..._

CRASH.

So lost in fond memories that he failed to notice the tree root poking out of the ground.

Kenshin sighed as he picked himself up. Suddenly he wasn't in such a good mood anymore. He had used his bandaged hands to break his fall and now they were throbbing painfully. Then he saw that the sake jug was open and spilling its contents all over the grass. _Nope. Definitely not in a good mood anymore._

He quickly picked up the fallen jug, trying desperately to save what he could. Nearly half the contents were gone due to his clumsiness. _Shishou's going to kill me..._

To be fair, Hiko wouldn't kill him outright. That would be too kind of him. Coming home late(and thus delaying supper) was one thing but wasting his precious sake was a vastly different matter. Kenshin imagined the many tortures that awaited him the following days and shivered. There had to be some way of replacing the lost sake.

Maybe he could just make up the remaining volume with water. _No, Shishou would notice the diluteness from the bland taste._ Maybe fruit juice? _I could tell him that it was a special fruity sake..._

Then a mischievous thought crossed his mind and he smiled wickedly. _Yes. Special sake..._

XXXXXXX

"Had a nice day?" Hiko asked his returning pupil in a tone that brimmed with displeasure.

"Sorry, Shishou. I was...er, helping a lost child find her way back home." Hey, there was no harm in lying.

"Uh-huh. And the lost child kissed you goodbye in gratitude, I suppose." he replied sarcastically. "Where's my sake?"

Kenshin timidly handed over the jug. Hiko immediately opened it and took a deep draught. He paused for a moment, savouring the taste, then swallowed it in a gulp. "It tastes...tangy." he remarked.

Kenshin nodded, trying to maintain a straight face. "It's a special sake flavoured with lemons. At least that's what Matsuhiro-ojii-san told me. And I got it for the same price as the regular sake." Such barefaced lies...

"Really? Your bargaining skills must have improved. Getting that old skinflint to lower his prices takes skill." Hiko took another swig, inwardly pleased that his baka deshi was finally improving in areas that would help him get by in the outside world. _This new sake isn't half bad. Although it seems oddly familiar..._

He turned his attention back to Kenshin, who was waiting anxiously for his reaction. _Is he expecting more praise?_ "Go get some firewood. Our stock is almost over. Then you're making dinner!"

To his surprise Kenshin made no sound of complaint. Instead he grinned happily. "As you wish, Shishou."

As Kenshin walked towards the forest, he broke out into a chuckle, which eventually erupted into a loud guffaw. His day of freedom was over. But what a truly great day it was. He'd made some new friends, he got kissed by Himiko, and in the end _he made Hiko drink sake spiked with his urine_...without ever knowing it!_ Tangy indeed! Serves the old drunk right! My poor hands are avenged!  
_

He sighed in contentment and touched his cheek again. He didn't really understand why Himiko had done that, but for some reason he felt glad. Speaking of which, didn't his master say something about a goodbye kiss?

He paused. _Shishou knew! _He hurried to the nearest waterhole and checked his reflection. Sure enough, there was a bright red patch of lipstick on his left cheek. He sank his head into his hands._ He'll never let me live this down._

_

* * *

_

* * *

Glossary:

Ojii-san: Respectful term for addressing an old man.

Gaijin: Somewhat rude Japanese slang for a foreigner.

Shinken No Kamae(Believing Sword Stance): A defensive stance from old-style kenjutsu in which the sword is held horizontally, positioning the tip between the opponent's eyes or at the forehead. This stance allows the user to spot all the opponent's attacks and adapt to their movements.

* * *

Author's note: I'm not much of a romantic and I can't write romance very well. So this chapter seemed (at least to me) somewhat awkwardly written. About the part where Kenshin fights with his sheathed blade; in the anime/manga Kenshin's fairly adept with using his sheath as a weapon and is seen using his special techniques with it whenever he's caught in situations where he loses his sword. In practice this can be awkward since the sheath is heavier, hollow and not as aerodynamically shaped as the sword. So I guessed that the Hiten Mitsurugi school probably teaches its practitioners to train with the sheath as well as the sword for situations where they may be disarmed or may need to avoid using lethal force.

An important note; the reason I've been pumping out chapters so rapidly so far is because they were all written or at least started before my post-exam break ended. But college is in full swing now and I'll be exceptionally busy this semester. As such it's getting harder to find time for writing and editing chapters. Especially given that I'm something of a perfectionist in such matters and keep going over a draft several times before publishing it(and as some irritated readers must have observed, I often edit chapters even after they're published). To make it worse I've just about used up my reserve of pre-written chapters. So from now on updates will be slower and more irregular. I'll _try_ to maintain a rate of one chapter every 14 days or so, but I can't make any guarantees. And at some point I may even take a break from writing for a few months. Sorry, guys.

Please review. It will motivate me better in writing more chapters. Ideas and criticisms are both welcome.

Next chapter: Fanservice included. And Hiko tells Kenshin something important.


	11. Taking Responsibility

* * *

**Chapter XI: Taking Responsibility**

* * *

The four boys puffed and panted as they followed their guide down the forested slope.

"Are we there yet?" one of the older boys gasped.

"Just about." said Kenshin, continuing through the forest without slowing down. He alone in the group remained energetic, not showing a single hint of fatigue. A downhill climb like this was nothing compared to the exercise he went through every day. Besides, he had been down this route many times.

Finally the forest cleared and they came to an outcropping of rock. Beyond it, a little further down the slope, they saw their intended goal; a small pond surrounded by the wooded foothills. Steam rose from the water at places.

"Wow. There really is a hot spring here! Just as you said!" marvelled Shino.

"But I don't see anyone else." said Toshida. "You weren't making it up, were you?"

"No, I wasn't!" said Kenshin, annoyed. "I told you they don't come here every day. You're the ones who forced me to bring you here."

"Aww, man. It'd suck if we came all this way for nothing." moaned Tetsu.

Kenshin sighed.

It had all started when Toshida was whining, as he often did, about how the world wasn't anywhere near as pleasant as it ought to be. The latest subject of his complaints was the cold weather. Despite winter still being a few weeks away there was already a perceptible nip in the air and people found themselves needing an extra layer of clothing whenever they were outside their homes in the mornings and evenings.

As a solution, Kenshin had suggested a dip in the natural hot spring that lay nestled low in the mountainside beside the village. He and his master travelled there from time to time; Hiko believed that it was an excellent way to soothe the muscles after an exceptionally harsh day of training.

Of course, they weren't the only visitors. Many of the village girls believed that the waters held mystical properties that enhanced the beauty of anyone who bathed in them, and on milder days they came here to relax and chat. Sometimes their visits coincided with Kenshin's, and then he would find himself hiding behind the rock and observing things that were not meant to be seen by a boy his age.

Naturally, the temptation (and the jealousy) was too hard for the other boys to resist, and they persuaded(read: strong-armed) Kenshin to take them along on his next trip to the hot springs, so that they, too, could enjoy an invigorating dip. _Yeah, right. _

And here they were, on a fine autumn morning, without the slightest sign of any member of the opposite gender.

As the others argued among themselves Kenshin considered going ahead with his original plan and shedding his gi and hakama for a dip in the spring. Then he felt the approach of ki in the distance. "Someone's coming."

Immediately, the boys went silent and huddled behind the rock. Peering at the clearing on the other side of the spring, Kenshin's keen eyes spotted several women emerging from the trees. Despite the morning chill they were dressed only in yukatas and shawls. He could hear them chatting and giggling as they set down their bath apparel on the shore. Then they began to undress.

"We hit the jerkpot!" exclaimed Ryuu, who had never been too bright. Or tactful.

"Quiet, you idiot!" whispered Toshida. "And it's jackpot."

"Look at those bods." Shino gave a perverted grin. "How old are they?"

"Let's see." Kenshin peered more closely. "Three of them look like they're in their twenties, and the other three are teenagers like us." He widened his eyes. "Tetsu, isn't that your older sister coming?"

The fifth member of the group leaned forward to look at the latest arrival. "Hey, you're right." He turned to the others. "Close your eyes!"

"No way." Toshida leered. "We can't be partial. We came here to peep at the girls, and I say they all get equal treatment!"

"Since when did you ever care about 'equal treatment'? You keep acting all high-and-mighty just 'cause you're the headman's son."

"Watch it! And I don't talk like that anymore. Ah, she's undressing. Nice hooters!"

Kenshin sighed at his companions' perverted antics. He felt uncomfortable watching them ogling the unsuspecting girls in such an exposed and vulnerable state. Of course, he had done it too, but it was mostly out of curiosity about the opposite gender. Not that he didn't enjoy the strange sensation in groin that acted up whenever he satisfied his curiosity...

"Ah, isn't that Tetsu's fiancée?"

"I'm too young to have a fiance, you idiot! That's _Toshida's _fiancée."

"What's a fiancée?" Kenshin interrupted.

"Matsuri! Stop ogling her, you jerks! She's mine! I'm going to marry her next year, for kami-sama's sake."

"You're getting married?" asked Kenshin, bewildered.

"Well, of course. I'm fifteen now. People get married around this age. Hey, what are you looking at?"

"Pipe down, Toshida." said, Shino, who was clearly enjoying the view. "As your new buddies, we need to make sure the girl you'll be spending the rest of your life with matches up to our high standards." He grinned with pleasure. "And from the looks of those curves, she passes with flying colours. Congratulations, _pal_."

As Toshida and Shino wrestled in the dirt, Tetsu noticed the thoughtful expression on Kenshin's face. "What's the matter, Kenshin? You don't look like you're very interested in the view. Been here so many times that you've already seen it all, eh?"

"Actually," said Shino, who had pinned Toshida to the ground, "he's probably just waiting to see Himiko."

The mention of her name brought a flush to Kenshin's cheeks. "That's not true!" As a matter of fact, he had never seen her bathing before. Hmm...

"There's no use denying it." Shino said bemusedly. "We all know you've had a thing for her for ages-mmf!" At this point, Ryu's large hand shoved his face into the ground as he came to help his friend.

"Himiko, eh? That figures." said Toshida, dusting off his expensive clothes. "I always wondered why you barely looked at any of the girls twice. For a while, I had you figured for a queer."

At this the other boys suppressed a snigger; they couldn't risk being heard. "A _what_?" asked Kenshin indignantly. He had the feeling he was being made fun of.

"Then again," suggested Tetsu, "maybe he's the type that swings both ways."

"What do you mean 'both ways'"?

"It's possible." said Toshida thoughtfully. "I've always wondered what kind of kind of master-apprentice relationship he has with that hermit. That man isn't married, is he? Mighty unusual for someone his age..."

"Yeah. Pop said he's still in his twenties." said Shino, who had just picked himself up off the ground and was nursing a bruised cheek. "And he keeps turning down the village women who show interest in him, from what I heard. He must have...unusual tastes." he glanced wryly at Kenshin, who finally began to understand the implications. _They think I'm...they're saying me and Shishou are..._"Maybe when he gets drunk he-"

"That's enough." Kenshin said coldly, his face reddening. "Take that back." There wasn't the slightest trace of humour in his voice. His eyes held an amber glint and his sword hand twitched uncomfortably. The other boys backed away when they noticed the sudden change in his mood.

"Hey, hey, we were just kidding, that's all." said Shino, holding out his hands in a peace gesture.

"Like he says, Kenshin." said Toshida, casting a nervous glance at his twitching hand. "You're a regular, healthy male just like us, even if your master's a little-"

"Actually," said a deep voice behind them, "I just prefer women with a perfect figure, if you know what I mean."

All five boys turned around to see the tall, cloaked figure of Hiko Seijuro XIII, seated on a rock with a cup of sake in his hand.

"None of the women around here meet my high standards, sadly." he added, casually glancing at the oblivious bathers in the spring. The he glared at Kenshin's companions. "But that is hardly an excuse for me to be labelled a queer." Immediately, all four boys cowered under his glance and began sputtering apologies and excuses.

Kenshin remained still, frozen with fear and shock. How had Hiko discovered them? And how on earth did he sneak up on them? Kenshin should have felt his sword-ki approaching. Maybe his master _did_ know how to mask his ki after all. _I'll have to get him to teach me later. _Not that it would benefit him in his current situation.

"So, Kenshin," Hiko said lazily, taking a swig of sake. "This is what you meant when you said you'd be training on your own today." He nodded to the hot spring. "Spying on naked women and debating your master's sexual preferences with half-wit tramps. Very productive." He gave Kenshin a patronising glare.

Kenshin fidgeted nervously, his face reddening at the second part. Desperately, he ruffled through his mind for a convincing excuse. He decided that (partial) honesty would be the best policy.

Trying to keep a sincere face, he stared at Hiko in (feigned) wide-eyed innocence. "That wasn't my intention, Shishou. I just came here for a bath. Because my muscles felt sore from the exercise-"

"Then why didn't you bring any bath towels?"

"-and I met them along the along the way. They happened to be going to the same place-"

"From the downward path? We're the only ones who regularly use that route."

"-and before we got to the spring the girls had already arrived. We decided to be polite and wait for our turn."

"And entertained yourself while you waited, no doubt." Hiko finished sardonically.

Kenshin found himself sweating nervously. So much for honesty. "I didn't take a single peek, Shishou. I swear." He crossed his fingers behind him. "And besides, coming here wasn't my idea. They're the ones who suggested it. And they didn't even know the girls came here." he pointed to his friends. "Back me up, guys."

The four boys fidgeted even more. Finally, Shino spoke up. "He's telling the truth, ojii-san-"

A vein popped on Hiko's forehead.

"-I mean hermit-san," Shino corrected himself hastily.

Another vein popped.

"-I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I meant no insult, Haiko-sama." Now 'Haiko' had a murderous look on his face.

Immediately, Toshida fell to his knees. "It's only a misunderstanding, kind, young, handsome swordsman-sama." seeing Hiko slightly mollified, he continued, "Kenshin wanted us to come along on a 'hot springs adventure'. We had no idea what he'd planned for us, but he said we'd enjoy it. So you see," he said matter-of-factly. "it's not our fault. More like Kenshin's."

Kenshin couldn't believe his ears. He turned to his other friends for support.

"Yeah, it's like he says, sir."

"Kenshin's fault!"

"He did it!"

He scowled. _That's just what I needed. Friends._

Hiko sighed. "Well, whatever happened, I'm not the one you should be apologising and making excuses to." In the blink of an eye, he moved behind Kenshin's companions and lifted them by the collars of their gis, two in each hand. "You should be asking the ladies." Then he tossed all four culprits over the like ragdolls. Kenshin heard loud splashes, followed by cries of "Pervert!" and the sound of beatings. He gulped. "Shishou, you're not going to do that to me, are you?" That would drastically affect his popularity with the girls. _And Himiko._

Hiko gazed at him with an expression that conveyed annoyance and disapproval and...pride? He laid a hand reassuringly on Kenshin's shoulder.

"You've changed, baka deshi. Make sure you get home by sunset. You and I have a lot to talk about." Then the hand that lay on Kenshin's shoulder lifted him up by the gi and unceremoniously tossed him over the rock. Frantically, he stuck out a hand to break his fall.

SPLASH!

When Kenshin opened his eyes, he was relieved to know that he had landed in the shallow water on the shore, narrowly avoiding broken bones. He was not so relieved on finding that his right hand was clutching an obi.

He looked up to find that the obi belonged to none other than Himiko, who was looking down at him in surprise. The very next moment, bereft of its obi, her yukata fluttered open, exposing...well, everything that could possibly be exposed to Kenshin's eyes. Immediately, her face turned crimson.

"Himiko-chan, I can explain..." Kenshin started, conscious of the fact that he was bleeding from both nostrils. His plea may have been more effective if he had been staring at her face.

She quickly covered up and glared at him, tears welling up in her eyes. "Kenshin, you..you..PERVERT!"

XXXXXXXX

"And what do you peeping Toms have to say for yourselves?" Demanded a tall, dark-haired girl.

The five boys merely shuffled their feet guiltily, unable to meet the eyes of the girls. They were each tied to a tree, surrounded by the angry visages of the now-clothed women.

"Wait till we tell your families." one of the younger girls added sternly. "Especially you, Toshida. Your father won't be pleased, I expect."

Toshida let out a faint whimper, but continued gazing at the ground.

Kenshin, for his part, was trying hard to catch Himiko's attention. She hadn't so much as looked at him since they were caught. As the girls walked away, he saw her passing him by. "Himiko-"

She paused briefly. "I didn't think you'd be like this, Kenshin. I thought you were a decent boy..." She turned to look at him, and he saw dry tear marks across her cheeks. "You do this pretty often, don't you?"

Kenshin was gazed at her pleadingly. "No, I-I-I.." Then his gaze moved downwards to the bulge in her chest, and he found himself unable to speak as his mind spontaneously recreated the image he had seen(and memorised) earlier.

"HENTAI NO BAKA!" She left in a huff, making him feel ten times as miserable.

They remained there for a while, tied to the tree trunks. "Anybody have a guess when they're gonna come and cut us loose?" asked Shino.

"I don't know. I'm not looking forward to it either." muttered Toshida. "My dad's pretty strict on me when it comes to stuff like this. He's the village headman so he's got to set an example in discipline."

Shino glared at him. "Serves you right then. This all started because of your whining."

Toshida glared back. "Don't try to saddle me with all the blame. Weren't you the one who made Kenshin bring us here?"

"Don't pretend you didn't have any part in it. And it's because of that fight you started that the drunk hermit found us!"

"What?! You're the one who started that fight, you roughneck!"

As his companions argued back and forth, Kenshin was busy trying to push his sheathed sword up through a gap in his bindings. Finally, he grabbed on the hilt with his teeth and pulled the sheath down with his left hand. Then releasing the drawn sword from his jaws, he caught it with his right hand and spun it around, slicing through the ropes.

His friends gaped at his improbable escape. "How'd you do that?" asked Tetsu.

"With my sword." Kenshin replied coldly, not paying attention to him. He had to find Himiko and make her understand. He took off along the path the girls had taken.

"Hey! Cut us loose!"

"Later!" Kenshin yelled back. He was still sore over having to take all the blame in front of Hiko.

XXXXXXXX

Kenshin peered cautiously from the bushes outside Himiko's house. It was close to noon. At this time, her parents were normally still working at the tavern-cum-eating house they ran, but he couldn't be sure. If they were home, they would likely have heard about the incident at the hot spring, and then Kenshin wouldn't find himself very welcome there.

"...and look after yourself. We'll be back by dusk." The shoji opened, and Himiko's older sister Aiko emerged from the house. She walked away in the direction of the tavern. Kenshin recalled that she worked as a waitress there in the mornings and afternoons.

_Then Himiko must be alone._

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kenshin noiselessly made his way to the porch, slid open the shoji and slipped inside. He had always been good at stealth. It had served him well in keeping himself out of Hiko's way when his master was in his occasional drunken rages. Or simply in a bad mood.

He perked up his ears. When he was sure he couldn't hear any noises from the hall or kitchen, he made his way to where he knew Himiko's room was. Then he wondered how he should enter. Simply sliding open the shoji would be rude and would give her a nasty shock. On the other hand, knocking on the door when she thought she was the only person in the house wouldn't exactky calm her nerves either. Ultimately, Kenshin decided on the first option and slid open the shoji with a creak.

Just in time to receive a generous rear view of Himiko's body as her yukata dropped to the ground.

Surprised by the noise, she turned around and saw Kenshin standing in the doorway, wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open and his nose bleeding. He had not been expecting to enter at the exact moment when she was changing. Why was fate treating him like this? It was almost as if the kami-sama who was writing his life's story was feeling a perverse sense of pleasure making him go through all this...

Himiko's face turned even redder than before. She closed her eyes, which had started to fill up with tears, and opened her mouth for a loud scream.

In a split second, Kenshin closed the distance between them with the Hiten Mitsurugi Godspeed and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Please, Himiko-chan. This isn't what it looks like." he pleaded, as she stared at him wide-eyed in horror. "Please _listen_ to me."

She calmed down slightly and Kenshin removed his hand. Then he became conscious of the fact that she was in her birthday suit and turned around in embarrassment, allowing her to cover up.

"You did it again!" she exclaimed angrily behind him as she slipped on her kimono. "Didn't you get enough at the hot spring?"

"It's not like that!" protested Kenshin, unwilling to turn his gaze around. "It was an accident, I swear! I didn't know you were changing, Himiko-chan."

"What were you doing here then? It's a crime to break into people's houses, you know. And peeping ought to be a crime too."

Kenshin winced. "I wanted to see you alone. Your folks wouldn't have let me see you after what happened this morning. About that, I'm really sorry, Himiko."

Himiko did not reply. "You can turn around now." Kenshin turned to face her. He suppressed a twinge of disappointment at seeing her fully dressed.

Himiko's face held a mixture of embarrassment and anger, mostly the former. "Sorry won't fix it. You..you...practically stripped me naked!"

Kenshin held up his hands in a pacifying gesture. "No, that was an accident! I didn't meant to grab your obi."

"You seem to be having an awful lot of accidents around me, Kenshin." she said wryly.

Kenshin shuffled his feet nervously. "Well, I admit I did go there to spy on women, even though it was the other guys who forced me. And well..." he reached into the folds of his gi and pulled out a cluster of white blossoms. "I brought you some wildflowers to make up for it. Here." He offered the bunch to the surprised Himiko. "They're not exactly rare, but they're good flowers."

She accepted the flowers and sniffed them gently. "White plum blossoms." she said calmly. "They're nice." Her lips curved slightly. "At least you're a polite pervert."

Kenshin's spirits rose immediately at her near-smile. "Then you'll forgive me?"

Himiko sighed. "All right. But," she looked sad, "I was seen naked by a boy. Grandmother says that if something like that happened, then I can't get married!"

Kenshin had no idea what nudity had to do with marriage. "Is there anything I can do to make up for that?"

For a little while, Himiko was thoughtful. "Grandma said that if the boy takes responsibility for what he did, it'll be fine."

Kenshin wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. What did she mean by 'taking responsibility'? He'd already admitted his mistake, hadn't he? On the other hand, he had always been considered a responsible boy, and he had to live up to that reputation. "Okay," he sighed, "I'll...take responsibility."

Himiko was elated. "Thank you, Kenshin." she squealed, giving him a tight hug. "You're a really nice guy." Then realising what what they were doing, she broke the embrace awkwardly. "You know, Kenshin," she started, a slight twinge in her cheeks.

"Yes?" asked Kenshin, who was similarly flustered.

Himiko twiddled her thumbs, an odd sight. "I've always liked-"

"Himiko-chan, we're home!"

Immediately, both of them turned their attention towards the door. "That's my mother." said Himiko. "my family must be back."

"What are they doing here?" whispered Kenshin. "I though they were at the tavern at this time."

"They must have closed up early." Himiko whispered back. "More importantly, you have to get out of here. If they find you you'll be in big trouble."

Then they heard the shoji sliding open and Kenshin hurriedly dove among the clothes inside the open cupboard.

"There you are, Himiko." said her mother. "Aiko told me everything. You poor dear. Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine, mother." said Himiko, trying to put up a smiling face as she shot a nervous glance at the cupboard. "It was just a harmless prank, that's all."

"But those boys threatened your chastity!" her mother replied indignantly. "Especially that swordsman kid. We're going to complain to his master."

Inside the cupboard, Kenshin listened nervously. Hiko normally didn't care what Kenshin did in his spare time, but if it brought _him_ trouble with the villagers...

"No! No! No!" Himiko exclaimed vehemently. "It wasn't Kenshin's fault, I'm sure. He's not that kind of guy. Toshida must have forced him to come along. Please, mother."

Himiko's mother looked at her doubtfully. "All right. The headman's son does have a...reputation for those kinds of things. But if it happens again..."

"..choo!"

Immediately, she turned her head in the direction of the noise. "What was that noise?"

Kenshin mentally cursed himself. He held a finger under his nose, holding back any further sneezes. _Dash it. This cupboard is too stuffy._

Himiko tried to look indifferent. "What noise? I didn't hear anything. You must have imagined it, mother."

Her mother still looked doubtful. "I suppose so. Well, I'll talk to your father."

Kenshin heard the shoji closing, and he crept out from inside the cupboard. "Thank you, Himiko-chan." he looked at her gratefully.

"You don't have to thank me." Quickly, Himiko went over to the window and pushed it open. "Now get out of here before they return."

Kenshin quickly clambered out of the window. Before leaving, he looked at Himiko one last time. "You know something, Himiko-chan?"

She peered at him questioningly. "What?"

"I think you're...really...cute." he said, unable to look at her directly.

Immediately, her face turned crimson. "Kenshin-"

Before she could reply, Kenshin turned around and hurried back, berating himself for his audacity. _I can't believe I said that! _Nevertheless, as he walked back up the mountain, he couldn't help feeling exalted. He had made up with Himiko, received a hug from her and - here the part of his mind that he was normally ashamed of acted up - he had seen her _naked_; _twice_; in a single day.

XXXXXXXX

When he got home, he found Hiko waiting for him over his usual jug of sake.

"So you're finally back." said the swordmaster, who was seated comfortably next to the hearth. "It's taken you an amazingly long time to get here. Been enjoying yourself, eh?" he smirked at Kenshin.

Kenshin gulped, dreading whatever punishment his master had in store for him. He tried his best to put on a guilty face.

"Stop the charade. It doesn't look convincing in the slightest." said Hiko. He sighed. "Sit down. You and I are going to have a little talk."

Anxiously, Kenshin took a seat. If Hiko wanted him to sit down that could mean he was in for a long scolding. Then again, his master would usually keep him standing to add to his discomfort.

"Kenshin, you're thirteen years old now. And you've started becoming a pervert." Hiko stated bluntly. "All in all, you've probably been feeling somewhat...different in the past few weeks." he stared at Kenshin pointedly. "In short, you're nearing puberty."

"What?" Kenshin had no idea what Hiko was talking about. Pubu..puba..well, whatever his master had just said, it only sounded like nonsense to him. Had Hiko drunk too much sake again?

A vein popped in Hiko's forehead. He seemed to have guessed his pupil's thoughts. "It means, baka deshi, that you've started maturing. Growing from a boy to a man." he gave Kenshin's scrawny frame a once over, "Well, at least mentally."

Kenshin averted a scowl. Now was not the time to argue with his master. "And so," said Hiko, "it's time I explained to you about the birds and bees."

Kenshin tilted his head in confusion. "Uh...Shishou, I already know about birds and bees." He guessed that Hiko really _was_ drunk. Maybe he would be able to escape punishment then...

Hiko had an overwhelming desire to slap his baka deshi silly. Was Kenshin mocking him intentionally? _No. He really is this dumb. _"It's a figure of speech, baka deshi! What I'm going to teach you is something far more important. Pay a little more attention, will you?"

Kenshin perked up at the word 'teach'. He was going to learn something new.

"Kenshin, do you have any idea how babies are born?"

At this Kenshin looked down, disappointed._ That's all? _He already knew the answer. He had asked his mother that very question many years ago. "Of course. Storks bring them home in a bundle in their beaks, right?"

Hiko's eye twitched. "That's what you've believed till now?"

Kenshin looked up in surprise. "It isn't true?"

Hiko suppressed the desire to slap his palm against his face._ No need to damage my good looks because of my baka deshi's idiocy. _"There are facts and there are fairy tales." he said calmly. "It's time for you to learn the facts." He took a long draught of sake, then began. "It all starts with women."

"Women?"

"Don't interrupt me. Now women are lying, cheating, sneaky, underhanded, stuck-up, wily and bossy little creatures," he started, ignoring the shock on his pupil's face, "but they have their good points. Most of us end up falling for them at some point, and many live to regret it afterwards. You're no exception; sooner or later you'll be head over heals for some girl. You're an idiot, so more than likely she'll leave you heartbroken. But there's no avoiding it."

Kenshin listened intently, ignoring the insults. Was his master talking about his relationship with Himiko? How it would end up?

"Now listen closely. Here comes the juicy part. When a man and a woman like, well, love each other very much they..."

The lecture went on for nearly an hour. This narrator will say no more out of concern for the little ones(as well as the fic's rating; he's already had to raise it from K to T), but let's just say Hiko was always thorough with his teachings.

"...and that's how it's done."

Kenshin's face was as pale as the full moon. "So I-I have to do...all_ that_?" he asked, sounding mortified. _I have to do that to Himiko..? _His legs felt wobbly. If he had been standing now they would not have supported his weight.

"Only if you both want to." Hiko shrugged. "I personally can't see why any girl would want to do it with such a scrawny-"

"Enough of that!" yelled Kenshin, annoyed. "But," he added in a lower voice, "it sounds...messy."

"It _is_ messy." Hiko replied, looking nostalgic, "And it can be awkward at first. And likely a little painful as well. But you'll get used to it. Once you do, there's hardly a better source of pleasure." he gave a satisfied grin, putting an unnecessary emphasis on the word_ pleasure_.

Seeing the unease on Kenshin's face, his mood soured. "Get over it, you baka. You won't have to worry about it for several years anyway." He sighed. "You know, in principle it's pretty similar to a battojutsu."

"Battojutsu?" Kenshin looked up hopefully. It couldn't be so difficult if it was a battojutsu, could it?

Hiko inwardly smirked. He had found the ideal way to hammer the facts into his kenjutsu loving pupil.

"That's right. Your...member," he gestured to Kenshin's crotch, "is like a sword and the girl's is like a sheath. You've seen them, haven't you?" Kenshin blushed. He remembered quite well. He had wondered why the bathing women didn't have...'swords' like he and Hiko did. "Basically, you hold her firmly like you hold your sheath, then you whip out your sword, thrust it at her and slip it into _her_ sheath, slowly and carefully. It's as simple as that."

To Kenshin, this seemed much simpler to understand. Then he imagined himself using such a 'battojutsu' on a girl and immediately quailed at the image. _Wait...maybe he'll demonstrate it like everything else he's taught...but there aren't any girls around so..._ A look of horror spread across his face. What if his friends were right about Hiko?

"Normally, they should fit perfectly, like nature intended." continued Hiko, oblivious to Kenshin's expression. "But I can't be sure _your_ sword will fit into _any_ sheath. It's so short." Hiko looked down disapprovingly at the spot between Kenshin's legs. "More a tantō than a katana." he chuckled.

"Hey!"

Hiko smirked widely. "I'm saying it like it is, baka deshi. But don't lose hope. Maybe you'll indeed grow..._bigger_ in the coming years, like you say."

Kenshin groaned at the double meaning. His master was enjoying this too much. Then Hiko's face turned serious. "You can have all the fun you want, Kenshin, but as a man, don't forget to take responsibility for your actions."

'Responsibility' again. Himiko had said the same thing. Now Kenshin regretted making her such a promise. He hadn't even known what he was agreeing to. "Shishou, what does 'taking responsibility' mean?"

Hiko was thoughtful. "Well, if it's one of those shallow relationships where you're only attracted by her body, then it doesn't matter so much. But you're serious, if your feelings run deeper, then traditionally, it involves courting her-"

"What's that?" Kenshin interrupted. _Taking her to a court?_

Hiko stared at him curiously. "Why are you so interested?" He narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me you've-"

"NO!" Kenshin all but shouted out, shaking his head vehemently. "I was just...I just wanted to know, that's all."

Hiko sighed. The boy had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Certain kinds of knowledge, anyway. "Courting," he said, "is when a boy and girl let each other know that they're in love and make it public. Cuddle up, exchange kisses, go on dates together-"

Kenshin shuddered. Himiko was asking for all that?

"-and eventually marriage."

"WHAT?"

"Pipe down. I said_ traditionally_. These days it's not a given unless you get her pregnant. Though the female may insist on it anyway. That's how women are. Always wanting men to be tied down to them..." Hiko trailed off with a frown. It almost seemed as though he was pouting.

Finally, he shook his head. "Well, I've told you everything you need to know. When the time comes you should be ready." He got up. "I'll make dinner tonight. You look too shaken up to be any useful. Go out and take a walk. It should help you calm down."

As Hiko gathered up the ingredients, Kenshin quietly made his way out the door. He had some thinking to do.

He seated himself on a rock under the clear sky. He peered up at the full moon. He vaguely remembered Hiko saying some nonsense about the harvest moon adding flavour to sake. _Well, what he's drinking still has my piss in it. Maybe that's it._ Then he forced himself back to the matter that was troubling him.

Had Himiko known what she was asking of him? He doubted it; she wasn't the type to trick him like that. But did he want to have a relationship like his master had described with her? She was a nice girl...and Kenshin remembered, with some embarrassment, that she had an excellent body for a fourteen year old girl. _Is she really fourteen like she says? _But did he..._love_ her?

He shook his head truthfully. No. He certainly liked her in a more-than-friendly way, and he supposed that given enough time those feelings could grow into something deeper... but not yet. And he wasn't sure if he wanted that to happen. He didn't want to get married in just a few years' time(if what Toshida said was true). He still had his ambition as a swordsman. He wanted to help people. That would be problematic if he had to settle down and raise a family...

He sighed. "Women," he concluded, "are more complicated than the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū." Hopefully he wouldn't have to fall in love with more than one in his lifetime.

Then to take his mind off the matter, Kenshin decided to do the less complicated thing and began practising kenjutsu in the moonlight. He consciously avoided using any battojutsus.

XXXXXXXX

Omake:

It was a chilly night.

Slowly, Kenshin made his way through the forest, guided only by the gentle voice that was singing and giggling in the distance. Finally, he came to a clearing. There, in front of him, a raven-haired angel was bathing in a pond.

She turned her head at the noise of his footsteps and her deep brown eyes fell on him "Ken-kun," she giggled, "come here to spy on me?"

Kenshin found himself sputtering in reply and turned to leave. The beauty wagged her finger mischievously. "Ah-uh. You can't leave now. You have to take responsibility." Then she turned around, so that her bare back glowed in the pale moonlight. "Wash my back for me, will you, Ken-kun?"

Kenshin hurried forward eagerly. He picked up a bar of soap from the shore and began scrubbing down her pale back.

"Aaaaah! You have such firm hands, Ken-kun!" she moaned.

Kenshin grinned and scrubbed more vigorously. He marvelled at the smoothness of her skin. He felt a familiar pleasant sensation in his groin. When he finally finished, she turned around.

Kenshin widened his eyes at the magnificent sight. She was smiling widely, but that's not what he was staring at. "Let's make babies, Ken-kun!"

"BAKA DESHI!"

Then he heard a loud, hoarse voice and felt a massive foot ramming into his side, and woke with a start.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He clutched his side painfully. What just happened? He was just having a great time at the hot spring...he remembered seeing Himiko, and then... When his vision became less blurry, he found that he was indoors, in the familiar environment of their little shack. And that the air was _very_ chilly.

"It's freezing in here!" yelled Hiko, who was holding his white cloak securely wrapped around him. "Go get some firewood from the shed! The fireplace ran out in the night."

Kenshin sleepily glanced at the burnt-out hearth._ That explains the chill. And why Shishou's in such a bad mood this morning..._

Gingerly, he picked himself up and threw a cloak around his shoulders. As he laid a hand on the doorknob, he heard another angry yell. "Baka deshi! Look what you've done to your futon!"

Looking back, he saw Hiko holding up his futon by the edge, a look of disgust on his face. He pointed to a wet patch in the middle. "I can't believe you wet your bed again, baka deshi! I thought you were over this!"

Shocked, Kenshin looked down to see a similar patch on his hakama.

"Now I'm really getting you diap-wait," Hiko sniffed and peered at the futon suspiciously. "This doesn't smell like urine..."

* * *

Glossary:

Yukata - Light kimono worn in summer or underneath heavier clothing. Traditionally, apart from chest bindings for women no undergarments were worn underneath the yukata. Heh heh.

Queer - Rude slang for a gay guy.

Obi - Sash.

Hentai no baka - Perverted idiot.

Tantō - A Japanese curved dagger about 15 to 30 cm in length. Sometimes worn in place of the wakizashi in a daishō. Japanese women sometimes carried a small tantō called a_ kaiken_ for self-defence or suicide. Remember Tomoe's knife?

* * *

Author's note: Ah ha! Finally an update. I'll confess this chapter was born out of my own perverted fantasies of Kenshin having anime-type 'fanservice moments' with his imaginary childhood sweetheart, combined with inspiration from the pond scene in **Croik's** fic **IttyBittyBuddinski**. To these I added a scene of Hiko giving Kenshin 'the talk', which was itself loosely inspired by **Sekihara Tae's** fic** Lessons**. Well, it's the first time I've written a romance-centered chapter. I hope it didn't come off as too ecchi. For those who were put off by the nudity and innuendo, they needn't worry about this fic taking a turn for the worse. This is a one-time occurrence.

Read and review. Do let me know what you did and didn't like about this chapter.


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